HE 


DISTRICT 


ATTORNEY 


WILLIAM  SAGE 


THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

?-trs.  Ben  B.  Lir.osey 


7, 


J* 


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THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


THE 

DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


BY 
WILLIAM  SAGE 

Author  of  "  Robert  Tournay,"  etc. 


BOSTON 
LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 


Copyright,  1906, 
Bv  LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPAMY. 


All  rights  reserved 


^printer* 
8.  J.  PARKHILL  ft  Co.,  BOSTON.  U.  S.  A. 


PS 

3,537 
S/3SU 
CONTENTS 


FAGX 

1 


II.  MBS.    DELAFIELD'S    DEBTS     .......  10 

III.  MBS.  QUINTIN-TAILEB'S  FETE     ......  18 

IV.  RICHABD  PAYS,  CHEBIDA  DELAFIELD  LOSES     .     .  27 

V.  CONSTANCE  HABTLEY  .........  32 

VI.  RICHABD  LOSES  A  POSITION       ......  37 

VII.  RICHABD  BELONGS  TO  HIMSELF  ......  45 

VIII.  RICHABD  WINS  A  BBIDE       .......  53 

IX.  OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNEB  PABTY     ......  63 

X.  CADWELL  AND  His  MAN  ........  76 

XI.  RICHABD'S  WEDDING     .........  81 

XII.  RICHABD  ACCEPTS  A  NOMINATION     .....  87 

XIII.  THE  HABMONY  MEETING       .......  95 

XIV.  THE  DISTBICT  ATTOBNEY       .......  Ill 

XV.  FBANCIS  THAYEB'S  VOTE       .......  118 

XVI.  THE  HONOBABLE  KABL  MAIEB    ......  128 

XVII.  MAIEB  TAKES  His  MEDICINE     ......  140 

XVIII.  CADWELL  TBIES  TO  PASS  IT  TO  HAVEBLAND     .     .  151 

XIX.  FBANCIS  THAYEB'S  QUEST     .......  159 

XX.  ON  BOABD  THE  SEA  FOAM     .......  172 

XXI.  KEATING  COMES  BACK     ......     .     .  183 

XXII.  THE  Two   GBANDFATHEBS  192 


1106223 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIII.  CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST 200 

XXIV.  THE  WBONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO 211 

XXV.    CHEBIDA  MAKES  AN  EXCHANGE 228 

XXVI.  THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BBOKEN  NOSE     ....  232 

XXVII.    TRIED  BY   His   PEERS 238 

XXVIII.     IN  THE  JURY  ROOM 259 

XXIX.    THE  SINS  OF  THE  FATHER 273 

XXX.     OLD  SAMUEL  AND  His  SON 278 

XXXI.     OLD  SAMUEL 291 

XXXII.  THE  LAST  293 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


CHAPTER  I 

SAMUEL   HAVERLAND 

Samuel  Haverland,  sitting  upright  in  his  chair,  looked 
across  the  table  at  James  Hartley.  His  eyes  seemed  to 
look  not  at  the  man,  but  through  him,  reading  his  most 
secret  thoughts. 

"  Come,  Mr.  Hartley,  I  want  you  to  sign."  His  hand 
smoothed  the  type-written  document  caressingly. 

"  I  cannot  do  it,  Mr.  Haverland.  You  don't  know 
what  it  would  mean  to  me  to  give  up  a  business  which 
my  father,  and  his  father  before  him,  built  up,  and  in 
which  I  have  been  reared.  I  want  to  run  it  as  long  as 
I  live.  You  shall  not  force  me." 

"  You  do  not  seem  to  realize,  Mr.  Hartley,  that  busi 
ness  conditions  have  altered  since  those  days.  Business 
interests,  not  I,  are  forcing  you  to  come  in." 

"  It  is  you  who  are  trying  to  force  me,  Mr.  Haver 
land.  You  are  the  head  and  front  of  the  whole  affair. 
I  will  not  sign  away  my  birthright,  even  if  the  mess  of 
pottage  is  offered  in  a  golden  bowl." 

"  All  the  other  big  men  have  signed.  Mr.  Cadwell, 
here,  does  not  accuse  me  of  coercion.  He  has  taken  his 
check  and  is  satisfied.  Are  you  not,  Mr.  Cadwell?  " 

"  Perfectly,  Mr.  Haverland,  I  consider  it  a  good 

1 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


thing.  I  am  quite  satisfied  to  let  you  manage  the  whole 
business." 

Thomas  Cadwell  lit  a  big  cigar,  and  puffed  at  it  leis 
urely,  looking  at  Hartley  with  just  a  trace  of  amusement 
in  the  corner  of  his  eye. 

"  Mr.  Cadwell  and  I  are  different  men,"  answered 
Hartley  shortly. 

Thomas  Cadwell  assented  with  a  good-humored  laugh. 

"  Now  I  offer  you  a  check,"  Haverland  went  on  in  his 
quiet  way.  "  Walters,  where  is  Mr.  Hartley's  check  ?  " 

His  secretary  opened  a  portfolio;  taking  out  a  slip 
of  pink  paper,  he  looked  affectionately  at  the  seven 
figures  in  the  lower  left  hand  corner,  and  passed  it  over 
to  his  employer.  Samuel  Haverland  put  the  check  in 
front  of  Hartley.  Mr.  Hartley  took  up  the  slip  of 
pink  paper  and  read  the  amount. 

"  You  have  stood  out  to  the  last,  Mr.  Hartley,  and 
now  you  are  getting  the  very  best  terms  of  all,"  said 
Cadwell  bluntly. 

Hartley  still  held  the  check  between  his  thumb  and 
finger.  Ignoring  Cadwell,  he  looked  at  Haverland. 
"  What  becomes  of  the  small  men,  Mr.  Haverland  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  Business  interests  will  demand  that  they  retire  from 
the  field." 

"  In  plain  words  you  will  crush  them." 

"  It  will  be  our  unpleasant  duty  to  force  them  from 
the  field  if  they  persist  in  trying  to  occupy  it  with  us," 
replied  Haverland  dispassionately,  crumpling  up  a  bit 
of  paper  and  tossing  it  into  the  scrap-basket. 

"  Mr.  Haverland,"  said  Hartley,  bluntly,  "  I  abhor 
your  methods  of  dealing  in  the  business  world." 

No  flush  came  to  Haverland's  face,  and  he  answered 


SAMUEL  HAVERLAND 3 

without  the  slightest  show  of  resentment.  "  My  way  of 
dealing  in  the  business  world  is  the  only  way  practicable 
at  present.  If  it  does  not  meet  with  the  entire  approval 
of  your  conscience,  that  should  be  an  additional  reason 
for  you  to  sign  this  agreement,  take  your  check,  and 
leave  everything  else  to  me." 

"  That  is  just  the  point  of  my  objection,  I  do  not 
want  to  leave  everything  to  you,"  declared  Hartley,  with 
vehemence,  laying  the  check  down  upon  the  table. 

Haverland  polished  his  gold-rimmed  glasses,  saying 
in  an  aggrieved  tone,  "  You  can  never  say  that  the  terms 
were  not  just  and  liberal,  Mr.  Hartley." 

"  They  may  be  liberal,  but  they  are  not  just,  Mr. 
Haverland." 

"  Now  you   do  surprise  me,"  replied  Haverland. 

"  As  long  as  they  are  liberal,  I  should  not  demand 
anything  more,  these  days,"  put  in  Cadwell. 

"  I  do  not  agree  with  Mr.  Cadwell,  and  I  refuse  to 
enter  into  this  compact,"  said  Hartley  with  considerable 
heat. 

"  Remember,  this  is  your  last  chance,"  replied  Haver 
land,  for  the  first  time  betraying  some  slight  impa 
tience. 

"  Is  that  a  threat?  "  inquired  Hartley. 

"  I  never  threaten,  but  if  you  do  not  come  in,  you 
must  take  your  chances  —  outside." 

Samuel  Haverland  carefully  gathered  up  all  the 
papers  and  handed  them  to  his  secretary.  "  You  will 
excuse  me,  gentlemen,  will  you  not?  I  have  much  to 
do.  Time  presses,  and  time  is  money  to  us  all." 

"  That's  the  only  currency  which  some  people  seem 
to  have,"  laughed  Cadwell,  taking  up  his  hat. 

Hartley  walked  off  without  a  word. 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


As  soon  as  he  was  alone  Haverland  took  up  some 
papers  from  his  desk,  and  instantly  became  absorbed  in 
them. 

His  secretary  entered  the  room.  Walters  had  grown 
up  in  the  office  from  a  boy  who  had  appeared  punctu 
ally  at  the  stroke  of  the  clock  in  answer  to  an  advertise 
ment.  He  was  now  past  middle  age,  and  had  been  run 
ning  like  clock-work  ever  since  that  first  morning.  He 
was  always  neatly  dressed  in  dark  clothes,  and  spoke  as 
if  words  were  valuable  and  he  were  weighing  them,  care 
ful  not  to  give  out  too  good  measure.  "  Cipher  from 
McCord.  Wants  to  know  if  you  will  join  pool  to  corner 
wheat  market." 

"  Answer,  declining  with  thanks,"  said  Samuel  Haver- 
land  without  looking  up  from  his  desk. 

"  Says  there's  sure  to  be  a  short  crop." 

"Is  there?"  demanded  the  old  man,  wheeling  sud 
denly  in  his  chair.  "  That  does  not  agree  with  my  in 
formation,  and  I  have  advance  news  of  the  Government 
estimate.  The  crop  is  going  to  be  much  larger  than  is 
generally  supposed.  No  human  agency  could  corner 
the  wheat  in  this  country  this  year.  If  it  could  be  done, 
do  you  suppose  I'd  let  McCord  do  it?  Why  Walters,  I 
sometimes  dream  that  all  the  wheat  in  the  world  is  made 
into  one  great  loaf  of  bread,  and  that  I  own  it !  " 

Old  Samuel  leaned  back  in  his  chair  with  half  closed 
eyes,  and  Walters  looked  at  him  with  admiration,  say 
ing  :  "  I  guess  McCord  got  his  information  from  the 
wrong  man,  for  he's  buying  wheat  like  sixty." 

"  We  are  wasting  time,"  said  Haverland,  straighten 
ing  up  and  looking  at  his  watch.  "  Send  your  telegram 
to  McCord,  and  telephone  to  our  brokers  to  sell  wheat 
for  future  delivery." 


SAMUEL  HAVERLAND 


Walters  withdrew  quietly,  and  old  Samuel  Haverland 
worked  away  like  a  beaver  without  interruption  for  half 
an  hour.  Then  his  clerk  came  in  to  announce  in  a  low 
voice : 

"  Mr.  Richard  Haverland  wishes  to  see  you,  sir." 

"  Ask  him  to  step  in." 

If  ever  a  soft  light  came  to  the  unfathomable  eyes 
it  shone  there  when  he  looked  at  his  son.  Richard  Hav 
erland  seemed  to  bring  with  him  into  the  close  room  an 
atmosphere  of  the  strength  and  freshness  of  outdoors. 
Wherever  he  went  he  compelled  attention,  admired  by 
both  men  and  women.  His  mouth,  when  in  repose,  sug 
gested  his  father's,  but  when  he  smiled  it  curved  amiably 
and  inspired  confidence. 

When  he  first  began  training  for  the  'Varsity  crew 
he  showed  a  pair  of  shoulders  which  had  the  symmetry 
the  Greek  sculptors  gave  to  their  athletes,  and  his  form 
won  the  heart  of  Professor  Terry  Dunbar.  Richard 
profited  under  this  instruction,  but  his  triumphs  in  the 
athletic  world  did  not  overshadow  his  success  as  a  stu 
dent.  He  threw  himself  into  either  work  or  play  with 
the  same  intense  energy,  and  easily  maintained  his  posi 
tion  as  a  leader. 

"  I  hope  I  don't  interrupt  you,  father,"  he  said  in 
apology. 

"  I  am  always  glad  to  see  you,  Richard,"  said  Hav 
erland  senior ;  "  but,"  he  added  quickly,  "  I  cannot  af 
ford  to  allow  you  to  waste  my  time.  In  business  hours 
it  must  be  business.  What  do  you  want?  " 

"  Ten  thousand  dollars,  sir." 

Haverland  struck  a  bell,  and  his  clerk  appeared  as  if 
by  magic. 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


"  Walters,  draw  a  check  for  ten  thousand  dollars  to 
Richard  Haverland's  order." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Richard.  "  This  is  to  paj 
for  a  new  automobile." 

Old  Haverland  nodded,  and  picked  up  some  papers 
from  his  desk.  Young  Haverland  sat  in  silence  looking 
at  his  father  until  the  automatic  clerk  brought  in  the 
check. 

"  Richard,"  said  old  Samuel,  swinging  around  in  his 
chair,  "have  I  ever  denied  you  anything?" 

Richard,  putting  the  check  in  his  pocket,  answered 
smiling,  "  Why,  no,  sir ;  you  are  the  most  generous  man 
alive.  Don't  you  think  I'm  grateful  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  complaint  to  make  on  that  score."  After 
a  moment's  silence  Haverland  continued.  "  I  want  you 
to  be  actively  employed,  Richard." 

"  So  I  am.  I  have  just  captured  the  automobile  one 
mile  record,  and  I  have  got  to  be  active  if  I  want  to 
keep  it." 

"  I  saw  you  did.  My  son  beat  them  all."  Old  Sam 
uel  rubbed  his  hands.  "  But  you  must  do  more  than 
that,  Richard,"  he  added.  "  You  must  not  waste  any 
time." 

"  Father,  I'm  as  busy  as  a  bee.  I  won  nearly  all  the 
prizes  at  the  bench  show  in  the  classes  where  I  had  en 
tries.  They  were  your  dogs,  too,  but  I  looked  after 
their  training,  or  they  would  not  have  made  such  a  good 
showing." 

"  Why  did  you  not  win  them  all  ?  "  asked  old  Sam 
uel,  looking  serious. 

"  I  did,  all  but  one.  In  the  '  Old  English  Sheep 
dog  '  class  the  prize  winner,  Stubby-tail  was  far  ahead 


SAMUEL  HAVERLAND 


of  anything  which  we  had  to  show ;  he  deserved  the  rib 
bon." 

"  Who  owns  Stubby-tail?  " 

"  A  prominent  sporting  gentleman,  Doc*  Connor,  who 
keeps  the  Rushmore." 

"  Then  we  must  buy  Stubby-tail,"  said  Haverland 
quickly. 

"  The  owner  had  many  offers  immediately  after  the 
award,  but  he  refused  them  all.  He  says  he  won't  sell 
Stubby-tail  for  a  fortune,"  said  Richard. 

"  Buy  Stubby-tail  at  any  price.  I  must  have  him, 
Richard.  I'm  sorry  I  ever  went  in  for  these  damned 
dogs.  I  beg  your  pardon,  Richard,"  he  added  quickly, 
"  I'm  not  a  swearing  man,  but  it  does  aggravate  me  to 
think  that  I've  got  to  pay  a  fortune  for  a  dirty,  fuzzy- 
wuzzy  cur  and  then  hire  a  man  to  wash  his  fleas.  It's 
enough  to  make  a  saint  swear." 

Richard  laughed. 

"  It's  no  laughing  matter,  my  son,"  said  Haverland. 

Richard  continued  laughing.  "  Why  should  we  buy 
this  fuzzy-wuzzy  cur.  We  have  received  enough  prizes 
to  satisfy  our  ambition.  Let  the  best  man  win,  say  I." 

"  I  always  intend  to,"  replied  his  father.  "  But 
aside  from  automobiles  and  dogs,  I  want  you  to  do  more, 
a  great  deal  more." 

A  light  shone  in  his  son's  eyes,  as  he  replied  seriously, 
"  Well,  sir,  I  will.  As  you  know,  I  have  recently  grad 
uated  from  the  Law  School  after  a  long,  hard  grind,  and 
I  thought  that  I  would  take  a  vacation.  Life  seems 
full  of  pleasure  as  well  as  of  duty." 

"  You  graduated  with  high  honors,  and  I  am  proud 
of  you,  Richard,  but  I  want  to  be  still  more  proud. 
Why  did  I  want  you  to  become  a  lawyer  ?  Because  now- 


8 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

a-days  the  lawyers  are  getting  everything  in  sight.  Who 
are  becoming  the  heads  of  our  big  industrial  corpora 
tions?  The  lawyers!  What  is  the  path  to  political 
success  ?  The  law !  So  I  determined  that  you  should 
be  given  a  good  legal  education,  and  then  make  use  of 
it  —  not  for  others,  pleading  their  cases  for  paltry  fees, 
—  but  for  yourself,  looking  after  your  own  large  in 
terests.  I  wanted  you  to  be  in  the  best  position  to  look 
out  for  yourself,  to  be  so  strongly  entrenched  that  after 
I  am  gone  the  cleverest  among  them  can't  get  any  of  my 
fortune  away  from  you." 

Richard  was  silent  for  a  few  moments,  during  which 
his  father  took  up  his  work,  but  he  laid  it  down  again 
to  say: 

"  You  have  worked  hard  during  the  three  years  at 
the  Law  School,  and  I  suppose  you  think  you  want  a 
vacation,  although  I  cannot  understand  what  a  man 
needs  a  vacation  for,  except  to  be  ill  in." 

"  I  rather  enjoy  it,  being  well,"  admitted  Richard. 

"  What  do  you  say  to  thirty  days'  vacation,  and  then 
buckling  down  to  work  in  the  harness  ?  "  asked  his  father, 
waiving  that  point. 

"  Don't  you  think  '  thirty  days '  rather  a  short 
time?"  inquired  the  son  politely. 

"  That  depends  upon  what  you  want  to  do.  Much 
can  be  accomplished  in  thirty  days,  if  one  is  industrious. 
For  a  holiday  I  consider  it  just  thirty  days  too  long." 

"  I  was  planning  a  little  trip  around  the  world,"  said 
Richard. 

"  Why  on  earth  do  you  want  to  go  round  the  world 
again?  You've  been  once." 

"  Oh,  that  was  with  a  tutor ;  this  time  I  want  to  go 
a  « tooter ' !  " 


SAMUEL  HAVERLAND  9 

"  I  think  you  had  better  postpone  your  trip  for  the 
present,  Richard,  I  need  you  here." 

"  Of  course,  sir,  I  realize  what  I  owe  to  you,  and  if 
you  really  wish  it,  I'll  stay." 

"  Walters,"  called  out  the  old  man,  "  make  a  memo 
randum  in  the  diary,  thirty  days  from  date,  that  Richard 
Haverland  is  to  report  for  business  at  nine  A.  M. !  I 
shall  expect  you  to  be  on  time,  Richard.  Now,  good 
afternoon." 


CHAPTER  II 

MRS.   DELAFIELD'S  DEBTS 

If  men  fell  in  love  with  Cherida  Delafield  it  was  not 
entirely  her  fault.  Her  mouth  invited  a  caress ;  she  had 
dark  eyes  and  light  hair,  and  a  disposition  which  could 
be  as  sunny  as  the  month  of  May.  There  was  a  dash 
of  August  in  her,  and  some  of  the  other  seasons  as  well. 

Frank  Delafield  was  a  good  fellow,  but  not  clever,  and 
as  Cherida  had  a  predilection  for  clever  persons  she  be 
came  rather  tired  of  him.  Delafield  was  a  kindly-na- 
tured,  honest  chap  with  many  sterling  qualities,  but  this 
versatile  young  woman  demanded  so  much,  that  it  was 
difficult  for  her  to  find  the  desired  qualities  in  any  one 
man.  After  Frank  Delafield  had  ruined  himself,  trying 
to  keep  pace  with  his  wife's  extravagances  he  set  out 
cheerfully  for  the  Klondike  in  the  hope  of  digging  up 
a  fortune. 

After  a  lapse  of  time  all  communication  from  him 
ceased,  and  although  Cherida  had  been  tired  of  him  when 
he  was  with  her,  this  silence  on  his  part  distressed  her. 
To  feel  that  she  was  neither  "  maid,  wife  nor  widow  " 
was  foreign  to  her  inclination ;  and  what  made  her  posi 
tion  still  more  uncomfortable,  was  being  in  circumstances 
which  are  called  straightened,  possibly,  because  it  re 
quires  so  many  turns  to  make  both  ends  meet.  Turn 
and  twist  as  she  would,  she  was  unable  to  bring  these 
ends  into  any  sort  of  proximity,  so  she  finally  gave  up 
all  thought  of  it  and  plunged  onward  in  the  blind  hope 

10 


MRS.  DELAFIELD'S  DEBTS 11 

that  Delafield  would  suddenly  return  laden  with  wealth, 
—  or  that  something  equally  advantageous  would 
happen. 

Mildred  Haverland, —  the  young  widow  of  Richard's 
elder  brother, —  and  Cherida  Delafield  were  close  friends. 
Their  affections  had  intertwined  as  school-girls,  begin 
ning  with  the  sharing  of  bon-bons,  confidences  and  mati 
nee  tickets.  With  her  husband  in  the  Klondike,  Cherida 
was  more  than  ever  in  the  company  of  her  friend.  She 
could  make  herself  interesting  and  attractive  to  young 
and  to  old.  She  could  capture  hearts  in  the  nursery  or 
make  baby  eyes  at  a  grandfather,  as  best  suited  her 
fancy  or  her  convenience. 

Samuel  Haverland  rarely  unbent  with  any  one ;  in  his 
attitude  toward  women  he  was  as  circumspect  as  the 
North-Pole,  yet  even  he  could  not  resist  pinching  her 
soft  cheek  or  plump  arm,  and  calling  her  "  my  dear,"  in 
a  —  be  it  understood  —  perfectly  fatherly  way,  and  in 
a  tone  not  at  all  displeasing  to  the  recipient  of  those 
innocent  attentions. 

When  Richard  Haverland  returned  home,  after  fin 
ishing  his  course  at  the  law  school,  he  found  Cherida 
almost  one  of  the  family  circle. 

Cherida  was  one  of  those  who  believe  in  making  hay 
while  the  sun  shines,  so  she  very  naturally  turned  her 
eyes  in  the  direction  of  this  interesting  young  man, — 
interesting  if  for  no  other  reason,  in  that  he  would  some 
day  be  richer  than  the  richest  claim  in  the  Klondike. 
She  did  not  vulgarly  make  large  eyes  at  him,  for  Che- 
rida's  ways  were  delicate,  therein  lay  the  charm  —  and 
the  danger.  She  merely  turned  the  bewitching  side  of 
her  nature  toward  him,  so  as  to  establish  a  feeling  of 
mutual  interest  and  growing  friendship  between  them. 


12 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Nature  had  given  Cherida  a  large  storage  battery  of 
that  adductive  force  known  as  personal  magnetism. 
When  she  turned  on  a  high  voltage  the  man  who  got  the 
benefit  of  it  generally  dropped  like  a  pigeon  from  a 
live  wire.  She  took  good  care  not  to  flirt  with  Richard. 
She  merely  wished  to  electrify  him  enough  to  hold  him 
away  from  any  designing  maiden,  so  that  when  Time 
—  or  the  Court  —  declared  her  a  widow,  she  would  be 
in  just  the  right  position.  In  other  words,  her  inten 
tions  in  regard  to  him  were  serious.  He  was  too  big 
a  fish  to  trifle  with,  and  by  far  too  alluring  a  prize  not 
to  angle  for,  so  she  played  him  with  a  gossamer  line,  so 
delicate  that  no  one  could  see  it. 

Meanwhile  Mrs.  Delafield's  financial  affairs  did  not 
stand  still.  Running  from  bad  to  worse  they  brought 
up  against  the  wall  with  a  crash.  The  crash  came  with 
a  suddenness  which  took  away  her  breath.  She  had  long 
known  that  she  lived  in  danger,  but  she  had  so  often 
postponed  the  hour  by  diplomacy,  and  softened  her 
creditors  with  sweet  words,  that  she  had  begun  to  be 
lieve  she  could  go  on  indefinitely.  But  her  creditors 
finally  hardened  their  hearts  and  closed  their  ears  to  the 
voice  of  the  siren. 

One  afternoon,  having  lunched  with  Mildred  and 
spent  a  quiet  hour  in  her  friend's  boudoir,  Mrs.  Dela- 
field  came  down  the  staircase.  From  the  crown  of  her 
graceful  head  to  the  soles  of  her  French  bottines  she 
was  dressed  in  such  exquisite  taste,  in  such  harmony  of 
color  and  perfection  of  cut,  as  might  well  excite  the  ad 
miration  and  envy  of  women,  and  cause  the  bewilderment 
and  subjugation  of  men.  She  came  down  the  hallway, 
giving  out  a  delicate  perfume  of  violets,  and  passed 
through  the  front  door. 


MRS.  DELAFIELD'S  DEBTS 13 

As  she  emerged  into  the  sunlight  she  looked  so  charm 
ingly  seraphic,  that  no  one  possessed  of  the  least  refine 
ment  of  feeling  could  have  associated  her  with  an  unpaid 
bill.  But  a  vulgar  man,  who  had  evidently  been  lying 
in  wait,  pushed  himself  forward  without  ceremony  and 
thrust  a  paper  into  her  daintily  gloved  hand.  She  drew 
back  from  the  touch  of  the  grimy  fingers  in  consterna 
tion  and  gazed  at  the  impudent  fellow  who  exuded  an 
odor  of  whiskey  and  onions. 

"  What  is  it?  "  she  asked  faintly,  her  heart  sinking  to 
the  heels  of  her  French  boots. 

"  Summons  —  Sup'l'mental  Proceedings,"  the  vulgar 
man  said  jauntily.  Mrs.  Delafield  dropped  the  paper 
as  if  it  had  scorched  her  glove. 

"  Oh,  you're  served  all  right,  all  right,"  chuckled  this 
unpleasant  individual,  and,  without  deigning  to  pick  up 
the  paper  for  the  lady,  he  walked  off,  whistling  a  few 
bars  of  "  In  the  Good  Old  Summer  Time." 

Cherida  picked  up  the  summons  and  went  back  into 
the  house,  her  head  swimming.  Examination  in  Supple 
mental  Proceedings  meant  publicity,  which  was  ruin. 
Samuel  Haverland  could  tolerate  no  one  who  did  not  pay 
his  debts,  and  she  could  see  herself  debarred  from  ever 
again  entering  this  beautiful  home,  and,  in  her  own  un 
congenial  abode,  awaiting  with  what  patience  she  could, 
definite  news  from  the  Klondike.  Genuine  tears  filled 
her  eyes,  and  she  threw  herself  into  a  chair. 

It  was  in  this  attitude  of  dejection  that  Richard  Hav 
erland  found  her  on  returning  from  the  interview  with 
his  father.  Although  Richard  was  not  unusually  sus 
ceptible,  he  could  not,  unmoved,  view  any  woman  in 
tears,  and  Cherida  in  tears  was  a  sight  to  melt  the  heart 
of  an  iceberg. 


14  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Mrs.  Delafield,  what  is  the  matter?  Have  you  re 
ceived  bad  news  from  the  Klondike?  "  he  exclaimed  in  a 
tone  of  sympathy. 

"  No  —  it  is  —  not  that.  I  have  not  heard  —  from 
the  Klondike  —  for  a  long  time."  There  was  a  short 
pause  during  which  she  dried  her  eyes. 

"  I  am  ashamed  that  you  should  see  me  crying  like 
a  baby,  but  it  came  so  suddenly  that  I  could  not  help 
it." 

"  Do  not  forget  that  you  are  among  friends  here. 
Any  trouble  of  yours  will  concern  us." 

She  gave  him  a  quick  look  of  gratitude  and  a  quiet 
"  thank  you." 

"  I  hope  it  is  nothing  very  serious,"  he  said.  "  Can't 
I  do  something  to  help  you?  " 

"  Oh,  I  cannot  tell  you,  please  do  not  ask  me,"  she 
cried,  greatly  distressed. 

"  I  beg  of  you  to  pardon  me.  I  did  not  intend  to 
force  your  confidence,  but  I  am  sure  you  will  feel  better 
if  you  will  hunt  up  my  sister-in-law  and  tell  her  all  about 
it." 

"  Oh,  not  to  Mildred ! "  exclaimed  Cherida  with  anx 
iety. 

"  I  want  to  show  you  that  you  are  among  friends  here> 
and  if  you  will  only  give  us  your  confidence  I  am  sure 
we  can  help  you."  As  he  looked  down  at  her  she  did 
seem  appealingly  in  need  of  protection. 

She  looked  up  at  him  steadily,  answering  "  I  will  tell 
you,  Mr.  Haverland,  it  is  perhaps  better  to  tell  you 
than  anyone,  for  you  will  understand."  There  was  a 
slight  pause.  "  I  am  threatened  with  a  horrid  law  suit," 
and  she  twisted  the  summons  nervously. 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  he  replied,  "  and  is  this  the   paper 


MRS.  DELAFIELD'S  DEBTS 15 

which  has  made  you  cry  ?  "  He  took  the  document  from 
her  half-resisting  fingers. 

She  looked  over  his  shoulder  as  he  spread  out  the 
paper,  and  read :  "  In  the  Matter  of  Proceedings,  Sup 
plemental  to  Execution,  etc.,  etc." 

"Is  it  not  frightful?"  she  whispered.  "Think  of 
me  standing  before  a  Judge  in  '  Proceedings  Supple 
mental  to  Execution.'  It  sounds  as  if  one's  head  were  in 
danger.  Indeed  it's  just  as  bad." 

"  Let  us  see  what  is  the  amount  of  the  debt,"  Richard 
continued  in  a  business-like  way :  "  Eight  hundred  and 
ninety-two  dollars  and  seventy-nine  cents  —  Suit  of 
Madame  Fra^ois,  Artiste  Couturiere,"  he  read. 

"  My  dressmaker,"  she  murmured,  smoothing  her 
gown,  "  she  might  have  waited.  Oh !  Mr.  Haverland," 
she  went  on  quickly,  "  you  have  no  idea  how  much  I 
have  gone  through  —  I  mean  how  much  trouble  —  since 
Frank  Delafield  left  me.  I  must  tell  some  one.  I  want 
to  tell  you." 

"  By  taking  your  case  I  become  your  legal  advisor  — 
a  sort  of  father  confessor,  you  know, —  so  tell  me  every 
thing." 

"  When  Mr.  Delafield  left  me  two  years  ago  he  also 
left  debts  for  me  to  struggle  with, —  we  had  both  been 
extravagant  I  fear.  He  sent  me  a  little  money  during 
the  first  year  of  his  absence,  but  for  nearly  twelve 
months  I  have  heard  nothing  from  him.  My  own  in 
come  is  very  small,  much  too  small  for  my  needs.  I 
was  forced  to  add  to  these  debts,  and  now  I  do  not  know 
which  way  to  turn.  If  I  could  pay  this  woman  it  would 
do  no  good,  for  the  others  would  swoop  down  upon  me. 
The  thought  of  the  publicity  fairly  makes  me  ill." 

She  stopped,  to  get  control  of  her  feelings. 


16  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  How  much  do  you  owe?  "  asked  Richard  quietly. 

"  At  least  three  thousand  dollars,"  she  replied,  much 
distressed.  "  This  is  what  has  been  wearing  me  to  a 
shadow.  I  cannot  tell  Mildred.  She  is  so  punctilious 
about  money  matters.  She,  who  always  has  everything, 
cannot  understand  how  difficult  to  get  on,  it  is,  for  those 
who  have  next  to  nothing.  I  suppose  I  did  wrong  not 
to  be  more  economical,  but  I  had  to  get  on,  some  way." 
Mrs.  Delafield  looked  very  contrite. 

"  Make  out  a  list  of  your  pressing  debts  and  let  me 
have  it.  I  will  send  round  to  the  parties  in  interest  and 
see  what  arrangement  can  be  made,"  said  Richard. 

"  Do  you  think  that  you  can  make  them  lenient  ?  " 
she  asked  anxiously.  "  You  see  I  have  rather  exhausted 
that  element." 

Richard  Haverland  smiled  quietly.  "  I  can  tell  bet 
ter  after  I  have  seen  the  bills  and  know  who  are  the 
creditors." 

She  flashed  him  a  look  of  gratitude.  "  I  hate  to  have 
you  see  them,"  she  hesitated. 

"  Consider  me  your  legal  advisor.  I  can  understand 
your  hesitancy,  but  this  is  an  emergency;  now  you  go 
home  and  send  me  all  the  bills." 

He  spoke  with  such  decision  there  was  no  disobeying 
him.  She  arose  with  a  faint  sigh.  "  I  will  do  as  you 
tell  me,"  she  said  softly,  "  but  I  fear  greatly  that  they 
will  not  grant  any  further  extension  of  time." 

"  Then  we  will  pay  them  and  be  done  with  them,"  he 
said  shortly. 

"  Oh  you  must  not  do  that.      I  cannot  let  you." 

"  We  cannot  let  you  go  to  Court  for  the  lack  of  three 
thousand  dollars.  You  don't  want  to  face  an  inquiry  in 
Supplemental  Proceedings  — " 


MRS.  DELAFIELD'S  DEBTS 17 

"  No !  No !  "  she  exclaimed  shrinking,  "  I  hate  to  face 
horrid  things.  I  can't." 

"  Then  don't  worry  any  more  about  this.  I'll  lend 
you  the  money.  You  can  pay  me  any  time." 

She  looked  at  him  fixedly.  "  How  wonderful  to  be  a 
man  such  as  you,  who  can  dispose  so  carelessly  of  a  mat 
ter  which  has  fairly  crushed  me  to  earth." 

He  turned  the  subject  quickly.  "  By  the  way,  where 
is  Mildred?  You  know  I  came  home  at  her  particular 
request  to  take  you  both  up  the  river  to  Mrs.  Quintin- 
Tailer's  entertainment.  Are  you  all  ready  ?  " 

"  Why  no,  I  thought  it  was  an  evening  affair." 

"  So  it  is,  but  the  plan  is  to  start  early  and  dine  en 
route,  did  not  Mildred  tell  you  ?  " 

"  If  she  did,  other  things  drove  the  matter  from  my 
poor  head,  but  I  am  enchanted  with  the  idea.  The 
methodical  Mildred  is  doubtless  ready,  and  if  you  will 
call  and  pick  me  up,  I  promise  not  to  keep  you  waiting 
long.  Au  revoir,  Mr.  Richard.  Au  revoir,  *  Cceur  de 
Lion,' — and  oh!  I  do  thank  you!" 

For   a   young   creature    who   had    so    recently   been 
crushed  to  earth,  she  flitted  from  the  house  with  remark 
able  vitality. 
I 


CHAPTER  III 

MRS.  QUINTIN-TAILER'S  FETE 

When  the  two  glaring  eyes  of  Richard  Haverland's 
automobile  came  flaming  up  the  winding  driveway  of 
the  Quintin-Tailer's,  the  sounds  which  issued  from  its 
brazen  throat  were  like  the  shrieks  of  delight  from  a  red 
monster  upon  entering  fairy  land.  The  entertainment 
was  a  moonlight  fete  upon  the  lawn,  with  all  the  guests 
in  fancy  dress,  and  the  musicians  hidden  among  the 
trees.  As  the  almanac  coldly  neglected  to  provide  a 
moon,  Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer  had  summoned  an  electrical 
engineer,  who  hung  the  trees  with  myriads  of  colored 
lights  and  caused  the  fountains  to  play  in  brilliant  white 
ness. 

Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer  had  luxuriant  auburn  hair,  and 
some  of  her  friends  declared  that  she  looked  just  like 
Queen  Elizabeth.  She  was  not  at  all  unwilling  to  re 
semble  so  august  a  personage,  and  conscious  of  an  af 
finity  with  royalty  she  built  a  palace  upon  her  estate. 

When  her  palace  was  finished,  she  conceived  the  bril 
liant  idea  of  giving  as  a  house-warming,  a  fete,  where 
all  the  guests  should  appear  in  costumes  of  Elizabeth's 
court,  the  report  being  allowed  to  circulate  under  the 
rose,  that  she  was  to  be  the  queen. 

The  Haverland  party  was  received  by  a  butler,  who 
escorted  them  to  the  rooms  where  they  were  to  remove 
the  dust  of  the  road,  and  put  on  the  costumes  which  they 
had  brought  with  them.  When  they  came  out,  Mildred 

18 


MRS.  QUINTIN-TAILER'S  F^TE          19 

had  been  transformed  into  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  and 
Cherida  into  Lady  Jane  Grey,  while  Richard,  as  a  young 
blade  of  the  period,  cut  a  stunning  figure  in  a  richly  em 
broidered  velvet  cloak. 

"  I  was  bound  to  be  a  queen  anyway,"  laughed  Mil 
dred,  as  the  two  young  women  came  rustling  through 
the  hall,  their  stiff  skirts  nearly  touching  the  wain- 
scotting  on  each  side. 

"  Take  care  you  do  not  lose  your  heads  to-night," 
cautioned  their  escort. 

"  And  you  must  be  careful  not  to  lose  your  heart  to 
night,"  smiled  the  fair  Cherida,  her  feet  beginning  to 
mark  time  to  the  music  as  they  came  out  upon  the  lawn. 

Their  hostess,  attired  in  a  brocaded  satin,  her  red  hair 
and  her  white  neck  glittering  with  diamonds,  would 
have  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  Virgin  Queen.  She 
was  standing  on  a  rug  spread  under  a  silken  canopy, 
and  received  her  guests  with  an  air  that  was  regal  in 
its  graciousness.  Hovering  near  her,  were  two  gen 
tlemen,  supposed  to  be  Sir  Philip  Sidney  and  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  while  on  her  right  stood  Mr.  Quintin-Tailer 
looking  rather  uncomfortable  as  Lord  Burleigh.  He 
brightened  at  the  sight  of  Haverland,  whom  he  knew 
slightly,  and  revealed  the  cause  of  his  unhappiness  in  a 
whisper :  "  Did  you  ever  have  the  rheumatism  like  the 
very  old  Nick  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Richard  with  surprise.  "  I  never  did. 
Have  you  got  it  ?  " 

"Have  I  ?  "  and  Mr.  Tailer  screwed  up  his  face  pain 
fully.  "  And  yet  my  wife  insists  that  I  wear  these  black 
silk  tights.  I  object,  at  my  age,  to  joining  the  corps 
de  ballet.  Ar'n't  you  cold?  " 


20 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Not  in  the  least.  It  is  a  warm  night,"  replied  Rich 
ard. 

"  I  think  it  chilly  here.  Come  up  to  the  house ;  we 
have  the  billiard  room  fitted  up  to  represent  the  Mer 
maid  Tavern."  And  Lord  Burleigh  locked  his  arm  in 
Richard  Haverland's,  and  walked  him  off. 

The  front  doors  of  the  new  mansion  were  swung  hos 
pitably  open,  but  nearly  all  the  guests  being  on  the 
lawn  the  house  was  deserted  except  in  the  billiard-room, 
which,  as  Tailer  had  explained,  had  been  cleverly  turned 
into  a  tavern. 

Here  they  found  the  lords  of  Essex  and  Leicester, 
who  appeared  to  have  forgotten  past  differences  over  a 
bottle  of  champagne.  A  popular  author  of  the  hour, 
who  had  been  told  by  admiring  friends  that  he  had  a 
Shakespearean  brow,  had  come  as  the  immortal  bard, 
and  was  not  at  all  put  out  of  countenance  by  being 
presented  to  Lord  Bacon. 

"  It's  rather  fine,  isn't  it?  "  said  Mr.  Quintin-Tailer 
naively,  doing  the  honors  with  a  liberal  hand.  "  Who 
are  you  ?  " 

"  Merely  a  gentleman  of  the  sixteenth  century.  I 
told  the  costumer  to  do  the  proper  thing,"  replied  Rich 
ard. 

"  Now  I  want  to  show  you  the  house,"  said  his  host, 
who  had  taken  a  sudden  affection  for  him.  "  This  will 
be  a  good  opportunity  while  everybody  is  dancing  on 
the  lawn.  You'd  like  to  see  it,  wouldn't  you  ?  "  he  asked 
quickly  as  Richard  glanced  through  the  window. 

"  I  shall  be  very  much  pleased,"  replied  his  guest. 

"  I  knew  you  would,  it  is  really  worth  seeing.  Mrs. 
Quintin-Tailer  has  me  take  all  our  friends  over  it  the 
first  time  they  come  here.  I  feel  just  like  one  of  those 


MRS    QUINTIN-TAILER'S  FETE  21 

guides.  A  man  did  hand  me  a  quarter  once,  but  he  was 
an  absent-minded  chap  —  thought  he  was  in  Europe." 

"  It  is  wonderfully  fine,  and  no  mistake,"  remarked 
Richard,  as  they  came  into  the  main  hall. 

"  I  want  to  say  right  here,"  said  his  host,  laying  his 
hand  on  Richard  Haverland's  arm,  "  that  the  whole 
scheme  of  construction  and  decoration  originated  in  the 
brain  of  Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer.  Of  course  she  called  to 
her  aid  the  most  famous  architect,  who  in  turn  had  re 
course  to  the  masters  of  the  past,  but  Mrs.  Q.-T.  was  re 
sponsible  for  it  all.  Now  here  is  the  main  hall  and 
staircase.  It  is  of  the  period  of  Francis  I.  The  prin 
cipal  features  are  reproductions  from  the  Chateau  de 
Blois.  Here  is  a  picture  of  Francis  I.  in  hunting  cos 
tume.  It  cost  me  thirty-six  thousand  dollars." 

"  Very  fine  indeed,"  remarked  Richard,  again  glanc 
ing  out  of  the  window. 

"  On  this  side  of  the  hall  is  the  dining-room.  It  is 
Louis  XIV.,"  proceeded  Mr.  Tailer. 

"  It  is  a  very  large  room,"  said  young  Haverland. 

"  It  is  forty  by  twenty-six.  The  rug  on  the  floor 
cost  me  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  You  see  the  idea 
in  the  ceiling  decoration  ?  " 

"  A  horn  of  plenty  ?  "  asked  Richard,  as  the  two  men 
stood  in  the  centre  of  the  room  with  their  heads  thrown 
back  on  their  shoulders. 

"  That  is  *  'L'Abondance  nourrisant  les  affames.'  It 
is  the  work  of  the  most  famous  mural  artist  in  this  coun 
try.  He  rejected  fifteen  models  before  he  could  find  one 
to  suit  him.  He  made  a  happy  selection,  don't  you  think 

80?" 

"  Very,"  admitted  Richard,  abstractedly.  "  I  can 
readily  understand  why  he  named  her  UAbondance." 


22  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Mr.  Quintin-Tailer  opened  a  door. 

"  Out  here  we  have  the  butler's  pantry,  style  Louis 
XV.  Now  let  us  walk  across  the  hall  to  the  parlor.  It 
is  Louis  XVI.  I  want  you  to  note  those  tapestry  pan 
els.  The  library  is  upstairs.  That  is  English,  16th 
century.  We  will  go  up,  if  you  like,"  and  Mr.  Quintin- 
Tailer  led  the  way. 

"  I  hope  that  you  see  the  scheme  down  stairs  ?  "  he 
went  on  as  they  walked  slowly  up  the  magnificent  stair 
case.  "  It  covers  the  entire  period  from  Francis  I.  down 
to  the  Revolution." 

"  That  is  what  one  might  call  easy  steps  in  French 
History,  is  it  not?  "  remarked  Richard,  absent-mindedly. 

"  Excuse  me  a  minute,"  said  his  host  suddenly,  as  a 
servant  came  up  to  him.  "  Here  is  a  message  from  Mrs. 
Q.-T. —  She  wishes  to  see  me.  Now  you  go  right  along 
the  hall  to  the  library.  Don't  take  that  door  to  the 
left ;  that  leads  to  the  picture  gallery  —  the  entire  south 
west  wing  —  I  want  to  show  you  that  myself.  You 
make  yourself  perfecly  at  home  in  the  library.  I'll  be 
back  in  a  few  moments.  I  have  a  first  folio  of  Shakes 
peare  I  want  to  show  you.  Has  your  father  got  one?  " 

"  If  he  hasn't  he  soon  will  have,"  replied  Richard. 
"  What  did  you  say  it  cost?  "  But  Mr.  Q.-T.,  hurrying 
down  the  Francis  I.  staircase,  did  not  hear  the  question. 

Richard  Haverland  walked  slowly  along  the  corridor 
into  the  library,  planning  to  escape  by  means  of  some 
back  staircase.  Although  the  rest  of  the  house  was 
brilliant,  the  light  in  the  library  was  somewhat  obscure 
and  Richard  stepped  to  the  window  to  look  at  the  scene 
below.  They  were  still  dancing,  and  among  a  bevy  of 
pretty  women  he  could  see  the  willowy  Mrs.  Delafield 
gliding  through  the  figures  of  a  minuet.  She  was  in 


MRS.  QUINTIN-TAILER'S  FETE          23 

her  element,  radiantly  enticing.  Every  effective  color 
of  her  costume  was  carefully  chosen,  every  movement  of 
her  graceful,  alluring  body  was  studied,  yet  so  naturally 
was  she  the  actress,  that  her  art  completely  possessed 
her  and  became  nature.  He  was  on  the  point  of  going 
down  and  asking  her  to  dance,  and  yet  he  hesitated,  as 
if  swayed  by  some  latent,  subliminal  argument. 

Slowly  he  turned  from  the  window  toward  the  door, 
but  he  stopped  suddenly,  for  in  a  corner  of  the  room 
where  he  had  failed  to  see  her,  was  a  woman.  In  his 
surprise  he  continued  to  look  at  her  without  speaking. 
She  was  dressed  in  a  figured  silk,  with  wide  skirt  and  a 
V-shaped  bodice  which  seemed  to  clasp  her  waist  rather 
cruelly,  but  her  antique  gown  could  not  conceal  the 
charm  of  her  face  and  figure. 

Through  the  stiff  ruff  her  graceful  head  emerged  like 
a  delicate  flower.  In  one  hand  she  held  the  hem  of  her 
skirt,  revealing  a  brilliant  petticoat  beneath,  while  her 
attitude  was  that  of  one  who  contemplated  secret  flight. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  he.  "  Until  this  moment 
I  did  not  know  there  was  anyone  here." 

"  You  have  made  me  tear  my  dress,"  she  said  in  an 
accent  of  reproach,  but  with  a  slight  smile. 

"  I !  "  exclaimed  Richard,  in  a  tone  of  denial.  "  Why 
I  have  only  this  instant  set  eyes  on  you." 

"  I  know  that,"  she  replied.  "  I  came  in  here  to 
escape  a  dance.  When  I  heard  your  foot-step  I  was 
startled  for  an  instant,  and  in  my  flurry  I  caught  my 
gown,  here,  on  the  curved  foot  of  this  table,  and  tore  it." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  Richard,  as  if  he  had  been 
guilty. 

"  Oh,  you  were  not  to  blame,"  she  said  magnani 
mously. 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


"  I  regret  the  accident  just  the  same,"  he  repeated. 

"  Well,  nothing  can  be  done  by  standing  still.  Can't 
you  give  me  some  pins  ?  " 

"  Pins  !  "  he  replied  helplessly. 

"  Yes,  pins.  Wait  a  moment,"  as  with  nimble  fingers 
she  extracted  several  pins  from  other  parts  of  her  at 
tire,  and  set  about  repairing  the  damage,  humming  to 
herself,  meanwhile. 

"  Oh,  for  just  one  more  pin  !  "  she  exclaimed,  her  hand 
flying  around  in  rapid  but  vain  search. 

"  Will  this  do?  "  asked  Richard,  unfastening  a  small, 
jewelled  pin  which  held  his  cloak. 

"  That  will  do  nicely,"  she  assented.  "  Now  I'm  all 
right  again,"  she  cried  with  a  merry  laugh,  as  the  pin 
disappeared  in  the  folds  of  her  garment. 

"  You  take  your  misfortunes  lightly,"  he  said. 

"  Why,  of  course  I  do,  and  am  I  not  to-night  a  gay 
lady-in-waiting?  "  and  she  made  him  an  airy  cour 
tesy. 

"  Since  we  have  met  thus,  my  fair  lady,  I  claim  the 
privilege  of  a  dance  with  you,"  he  said  with  a  bow. 

For  answer  she  slipped  her  hand  through  his  arm  and 
turned  away  her  face  to  hide  a  smile. 

As  they  went  out  into  the  hall  he  looked  down  to 
assure  himself  that  she  was  just  as  beautiful  as  she  had 
at  first  appeared. 

She  raised  her  eyes  to  his  face.  There  was  a  flash 
of  merriment  in  them. 

"  Why  it  is  Constance  Hartley  !  "  he  cried. 

"  You  did  not  know  me,"  she  exclaimed  with  an  ac 
cent  of  reproach.  "  I  knew  you  from  the  very  first." 

"  I  felt  conscious  all  the  time  that  I  knew  you,"  he 
maintained.  "  Only  you  were  a  little  girl  when  I  last 


MRS.  QUINTIN-TAILER'S  FETE  25 

saw  you,  and  now  you  have  grown  to  be  a  woman,  a 
beautiful  woman ! " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  I  knew  you,"  she  repeated. 
"  I  do  not  think  that  I  have  changed  as  much  as  you 
imagine.  It  is  night,  and  everything  here  looks  beau 
tiful  to-night.  No,  everything  is  not  beautiful,"  she 
added  in  a  whisper. 

Richard  followed  the  direction  of  her  eyes,  and  saw 
a  heavy-faced  young  man  dressed  in  wine-colored  vel 
vet.  On  his  arm  was  Cherida  Delafield. 

"  Let  us  take  this  path,"  said  Miss  Hartley,  with  de 
cision.  "  It  is  he  whom  I  wish  to  avoid." 

"  Why  that  is  Charles  Cadwell ! "  exclaimed  Richard. 

"  Do  you  know  him  ?  "  she  inquired. 

"  Only  as  the  son  of  a  man  who  has  business  relations 
with  my  father." 

"  And  who  is  that  lady  with  the  pretty,  blond  hair 
and  the  affected  manner,  who  is  hanging  on  his  arm?  " 

"  That  is  Mrs.  Delafield,  a  friend  — " 

"  Of  yours  ? "  she  asked,  looking  up  into  his  face 
quickly. 

"  Of  my  sister-in-law.     Were  you  afraid  of  him  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly  afraid,  but  he  has  been  my  bete  noir 
this  evening.  I  can't  bear  to  have  him  come  near  me. 
I  am  glad  they  are  not  particular  friends  of  yours," 
she  said,  looking  at  him  with  a  smile. 

Mrs.  Delafield  soon  had  young  Cadwell  capering  to 
her  liking.  He  was  immensely  tickled  by  her  droll  af 
fectations,  and  vowed  within  himself  that  after  all  she 
was  worth  a  dozen.  If  Cherida  felt  any  pang  of  neglect 
because  of  Richard  Haverland's  absence  from  her  side, 
she  did  not  allow  herself  to  be  neglected  by  others,  and 


26  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

certainly  proved  herself,  if  not  worth,  at  least  equal  to, 
a  dozen. 

Richard  Haverland  and  Constance  Hartley  walked 
away  together.  Their  feet,  entering  into  a  conspiracy 
which  they  did  not  notice,  led  them  among  the  trees,  a 
little  distance  from  the  dancers,  where  she  forgot  her 
bete  noir,  and  where  the  fair  Cherida  faded  from  Rich 
ard's  mind. 


CHAPTER  IV 

EICHARD  PAYS,  AND  CHEEIDA  LOSES 

On  the  day  following  Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer's  fete,  all 
Richard  Haverland's  mind  devoted  itself  to  thoughts  of 
Constance  Hartley.  He  recalled  how  beautiful  she 
looked  in  the  old  court-costume;  he  recalled  how  be- 
witchingly  the  hair  insisted  on  curling  about  her  fore 
head  ;  he  recalled  the  sound  of  her  voice  and  laughter, 
and  finally,  towards  the  end  of  the  afternoon,  he  ordered 
his  automobile  with  the  intention  of  calling  upon  her. 

He  was  in  the  act  of  throwing  off  his  coat  to  dress, 
when  his  hand,  slipping  into  a  side  pocket,  touched  a 
little  package  of  papers.  Knitting  his  brows  he  searched 
through  other  pockets  until  he  drew  out  the  crumpled 
summons  which  had  been  the  cause  of  such  grief  to  Mrs. 
Delafield. 

"  I  suppose  I  must  not  neglect  the  affairs  of  my 
client,"  he  thought  regretfully,  reading  the  names  of 
"  Brower  and  Butterworth,  Attorneys  for  Judgment 
Creditor."  And  so  instead  of  going  towards  Miss  Hart 
ley's,  his  red  automobile  rolled  down  to  the  office  of 
Brower  and  Butterworth. 

The  office  of  Brower  and  Butterworth  was  palatial, 
with  rooms  furnished  in  mahogany,  soft  rugs  upon  the 
floors,  and  oil-painting  of  the  progenitors  of  the  firm 
hanging  on  the  walls. 

Richard  Haverland  sat  down  in  an  easy-chair  in  the 
reception  room.  Half  a  dozen  other  men  were  there  be- 

27 


28 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

fore  him,  waiting  like  the  clients  of  a  dentist  for  their 
turn  in  the  chair.     He  looked  at  his  watch  with  a  sigh. 

In  spite  of  the  declaration  of  a  certain  love-blinded 
maiden,  there  is  something  in  a  name.  If  Romeo  had 
been  called  Jeremiah  Simpleton,  he  could  not  have  ex 
cited  in  us  the  sympathy  and  interest  which  he  does. 
Had  Richard  Haverland  been  of  more  obscure  pedigree 
he  might  have  been  left  to  cool  his  heels  for  an  hour  in 
the  ante-room  of  the  busy  lawyers.  As  it  was,  a  few 
moments  after  his  card  had  gone  inside,  he  was  escorted 
into  the  private  office  of  Mr.  Brower.  Mr.  Brower  was 
a  large  gentleman  with  a  large,  grey  head  and  a  great 
reputation  for  shrewdness. 

"  Mr.  Brower,"  began  Richard  quickly,  anxious  to 
have  the  matter  over  with,  "  your  firm  are  attorneys  for 
Madame  Fran£ois  in  a  judgment  against  a  Mrs.  Cherida 
Delafield.  You  have  served  Mrs.  Delafield  with  a  Sum 
mons  in  Supplemental  Proceedings." 

"  We  are  the  attorneys  for  all  the  creditors,  Mr.  Hav 
erland,"  replied  Mr.  Brower  in  a  deep  impressive  voice, 
"  since  the  service  of  that  paper  all  the  other  creditors 
have  confided  their  interests  to  us ;  the  lady  will  be 
served  with  further  papers  at  once." 

"  Mr.  Brower  I  should  be  very  glad  if  this  could  be 
stopped.  On  behalf  of  Mrs.  Delafield  I  ask  for  a  little 
time." 

"  I  should  very  much  like  to  oblige  you,  personally, 
Mr.  Haverland,  very  much  indeed,  but  your  client  has 
had  all  the  time  we  feel  we  ought  to  grant,"  replied  the 
dignified  lawyer.  "  You  cannot  be  aware  how  often  she 
has  put  our  clients  off  with  promises." 

"  Can't  you  say  another  three  months  ?  "  asked  Rich 
ard. 


RICHARD  PAYS,  CHERIDA  LOSES        29 

Mr.  Brower  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  studied  Mr. 
Richard  Haverland,  meanwhile  asking  "  Will  she  then  be 
prepared  to  pay  in  full?  " 

"  Perhaps  not  in  full,  but  she  will  doubtless  be  able  to 
make  some  arrangement  for  partial  payments." 

Mr.  Brower  had  by  this  time  drawn  his  own  con 
clusions. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  that  we  cannot  give  her  another 
day,"  he  said  inflexibly. 

Richard  Haverland  looked  at  the  large,  immovable 
countenance  of  Mr.  Brower ;  then  he  looked  at  his  watch ; 
the  afternoon  hour  was  growing  late. 

"  What  is  the  total  amount  of  the  indebtedness  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  The  total  amount  of  the  claims  with  costs  is  over 
three  thousand  dollars,  I  believe.  Do  you  want  the  ex 
act  figures?  I  can  give  them  to  you  if  you'll  wait  a  few 
minutes." 

Money  to  Richard  Haverland  was  little  more  than  a 
general  term.  He  got  up  from  his  chair,  "  Inform  me 
by  mail  as  to  the  full  amount,  and  I  will  send  you  a 
check." 

"  Very  well,  sir,"  replied  Mr.  Brower  politely. 

Richard  took  the  package  from  his  pocket  and  tossed 
it  on  to  Mr.  Brower's  desk.  "  When  everything  is  set 
tled  up,  send  the  receipted  bills  to  me." 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Haverland,"  said  Mr.  Brower  af 
fably,  and  the  whole  matter  was  disposed  of  then  and 
there. 

Mrs.  Cherida  Delafield  was  relieved  of  the  distressing 
necessity  of  showing  her  prettiest  gowns  and  hats  in 
court  while  she  pleaded  that  poverty  would  prevent  her 
paying  her  bills,  and  Richard  Haverland,  having  kept 


30 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

his  promise,  forgot  the  matter.  For  the  most  part  he 
forgot  Mrs.  Delafield  too;  from  one  week's  end  to  an 
other  he  saw  little  of  the  lady,  his  whole  mind  and 
attention  being  engrossed  elsewhere. 

Cherida  Delafield  was  piqued  to  find  that  although  he 
had  befriended  her  in  the  hour  of  her  dire  need,  she  was 
really  nothing  in  his  life.  Having  a  husband,  herself  — • 
although  in  the  Klondike  —  it  cannot  be  said  that 
Cherida  had  fair  ground  for  jealousy,  but  Cherida  did 
not  always  stand  upon  fair  ground,  and  it  must  be  ad 
mitted  that  her  heart  was  not  in  the  Klondike.  She  felt 
sure  that  time  would  prove  her  a  widow,  or  at  least  that 
Delafield  had  consoled  himself  with  some  fur-coated 
maiden,  and  that  she  was  free  to  dispose  of  her  own  af 
fections  ;  or  more  accurately  speaking,  the  mixture  of 
sensations,  emotions  and  self-interest,  which  in  her  psy 
chology  took  the  place  of  affections. 

Although  she  was  wrong  in  attributing  Richard's  neg 
lect  of  her  to  his  devotion  to  another, —  for  there  is  no 
evidence  that  he  would  have  fallen  in  with  her  plans, — 
she  was  right  in  her  belief  that  his  constant  preoccupa 
tion  was  caused  by  another,  and  she  was  jealous,  a  little; 
but  not  enough  to  make  pale  her  cheek,  nor  to  cause  her 
to  lose  her  beauty  sleep. 

It  was  then  Charles  Cadwell  came  into  her  life.  He 
had  danced  attendance  upon  her  ever  since  the  night 
she  had  captivated  him  at  the  fancy  dress  ball,  and 
partly  as  a  pastime,  partly  to  console  herself  for  the  neg 
lect  of  a  more  desirable  suitor,  she  began  by  indulging 
in  a  flirtation  with  young  Cadwell. 

He  was  not  a  bad  looking  fellow,  when  his  tailor  did 
his  best;  and  he  had  that  prodigality  which  passes  as 
generosity,  so  Cherida,  who  had  to  have  some  squire, 
looked  more  and  more  kindly  upon  his  attentions. 


RICHARD  PAYS,  CHERIDA  LOSES        31 

In  her  own  mind  she  frankly  considered  him  a  fool, 
but  here  she  was  wrong.  He  was  only  dull,  and  where 
his  own  interests  were  concerned  he  was  sharp  enough. 
So  while  she  had  intended  merely  to  amuse  herself  for 
a  time  with  this  humble  quarry,  and  then  let  him  go,  she 
found  herself  suddenly  entangled  in  something  more 
serious  than  a  summer-day  flirtation. 

By  this  time  Richard  Haverland  was  hopelessly  and 
forever  out  of  her  reach,  and  although  she  did  not  per 
mit  herself  any  tears  of  regret,  and  was  fain  to  make 
the  best  of  a  less  desirable  admirer  with  an  outward  show 
of  lightness  which  was  her  gift,  in  the  depth  of  her 
feline  heart  she  was  much  chagrined,  and  nursed  her 
jealousy  all  the  more  carefully,  because  impotently. 


CHAPTER  V 

CONSTANCE    HARTLEY 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  before  that  which  had  been 
marked  in  the  calendar  for  Richard  to  become  one  of  the 
numerous  levers  of  the  company  of  which  his  father  was 
engineer-in-chief,  his  touring-car  stood  for  so  long  a 
time  before  James  Hartley's  door  that  the  chaffeur  fell 
fast  asleep,  and  Miss  Veronica  Hunnewell,  who  occu 
pied  the  top  story  front,  across  the  way,  was  obliged  to 
sit  up  several  hours  after  her  usual  time  for  retiring, 
while  she  fulfilled  her  self-imposed  duty  of  unofficial 
time-keeper. 

In  the  old-fashioned  parlor  Richard  Haverland  and 
Constance  Hartley  were  alone  together.  As  old  Samuel 
had  sapiently  remarked,  "  Much  can  be  accomplished  in 
thirty  days,  if  one  is  industrious,"  and  Richard  had  been 
as  industrious  in  his  pursuits  as  the  busy  old  father  had 
been  in  his.  Yet,  at  this  moment,  there  was  a  look  of 
suspense  on  the  young  man's  face,  as  if  the  question 
still  hung  in  doubt,  and  he  was  not  certain  that  he  could 
claim  a  victory. 

Constance's  eyes  were  looking  down,  and  there  was 
an  expression  of  deep  seriousness  upon  her  face. 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  said  Richard,  "  it  must  be 
my  vanity,  but  I  thought  I  had  only  to  speak.  I  do 
not  think  for  a  moment  that  you  would  deal  unfairly 
with  me,  so  the  mistake  must  be  all  mine  —  and  yet  I 
was  so  sure  — " 


CONSTANCE  HARTLEY 33 

She  looked  up.  He  caught  an  answering  light  in  her 
eyes,  and  bending  forward,  whispered :  "  And  I  believe 
you  do  —  Constance !  " 

She  put  up  her  hand  and  checked  him. 

"  I  never  thought  that  you  were  a  flirt !  "  he  said 
sternly. 

She  looked  at  him  quickly  with  an  expression  which 
revealed  her  heart.  "  I  am  not,  Oh,  I  am  not,"  she 
said. 

"  I  know  you  are  not,  but  what  is  it,  then?  Won't 
you  tell  me  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  great  difference  in  our  social  positions," 
she  replied. 

"  The  difference  in  our  social  positions ! "  he  cried. 
"  What  an  absurd  whim  !  What  put  that  in  your  head  ? 
We  have  known  each  other  for  years,  and  now  all  of  a 
sudden  you  discover  that  there  is  a  '  social  gulf '  be 
tween  us.  I  intend  to  bridge  it." 

Again  she  checked  him.  "  Richard,  the  gulf  is  a  pe 
cuniary  one,  for  we  may  be  social  equals." 

"  No,  not  equals,  Constance.     You  are  far  above  me." 

For  a  moment  the  hand  which  he  had  taken  remained 
in  his. 

"  But  in  point  of  wealth,  Richard,  you  are  so  far 
above  me  I  can  never  hope  to  have  you  for  a  husband." 

"  Constance ! "  he  cried  quickly,  "  you  are  laughing 
at  me.  It  is  unkind  of  you." 

"  I  am  not  laughing  at  you.  Perhaps  I  spoke  lightly, 
but  my  heart  is  heavy  enough." 

"  Are  my  father's  millions  to  force  me  to  be  a  celi 
bate?"  exclaimed  Richard.  "I  swear  if  you  won't 
marry  me  I'll  shave  my  head  and  turn  monk  —  But  I 
am  going  to  marry  you,  Constance.  You  love  me.  You 


34 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

cannot  look  into  my  face,  and  say  you  do  not.  Then 
say  '  Yes.'  " 

"  I  dare  not." 

"  But  why  not?  Why  do  you  raise  this  obstacle  now? 
My  father  is  not  in  any  marked  degree  richer  today 
than  he  was  a  month  ago.  And  why  is  my  wealth,  or 
his  wealth,  an  obstacle  anyway  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  Constance  replied  slowly.  "  I  have 
only  recently  learned  of  this  obstacle  myself,  for  I  have 
aways  considered  myself  the  daughter  of  a  very  rich 
man  — 

Richard  interrupted  her,  exclaiming:  "Oh,  money, 
always  money !  Does  everyone  think  that  we  Haver- 
lands  care  for  nothing  else?  " 

"  But  rny  father  is  not  nearly  as  rich  as  is  generally 
supposed  —  •"  she  continued. 

"  Well,  what  of  it?  "  You  know  perfectly  well  that 
I  don't  care  if  he  hasn't  a  cent." 

"  Wait  until  you  hear  all  I  have  to  say,"  she  went  on. 
"  Father  is  greatly  worried  about  his  business.  He  says 
there  is  one  man  who  is  trying  to  force  him  to  do  some 
thing  of  which  he  does  not  approve,  and  which  he  will 
not  do.  He  will  fight  against  it  to  the  last,  but  he  may 
become  ruined.  We  must  be  prepared  for  the  worst." 

"  Who  is  the  man?  "  demanded  Richard. 

"  I  don't  know.  Father  will  not  tell  us.  He  says  he 
will  not  mention  his  name,  even  to  us,  until  he  actually 
begins  his  attack.  My  father  is  naturally  very  reticent. 
Mother  and  I  understand  how  deeply  he  must  feel  to 
talk  about  it  at  all.  Richard,  my  heart  bleeds  for  him." 

"  And  so  does  mine,  for  he  is  your  father,  Constance. 
But  this  cannot  prevent  your  marrying  me.  Far  from 
it.  Everything  I  have  shall  be  yours,  and  his,  if  he  can 
use  it." 


CONSTANCE  HARTLEY 35 

"  Suppose  my  father  should  fail  entirely,  suppose  he 
should  become  a  bankrupt  ?  "  she  asked  earnestly. 

"  All  the  more  reason  for  your  marrying  me  at  once. 
No  combination  of  men  in  this  country  can  force  your 
father  out  of  business  with  the  Haverlands  back  of  him." 

"But  Richard,  if  my  father  becomes  a  bankrupt, 
yours  would  never  consent  to  our  marriage." 

"  Then  I  would  not  ask  it,"  he  said  with  determina 
tion. 

Again  the  expression  on  the  girl's  face  revealed  her 
heart,  but  she  replied :  "  I  cannot  put  you  to  such  a 
test,  I  must  not.  You  must  not  ask  me,  Richard." 

"  I  will  ask  you  again  and  again,  until  you  say  '  yes.' ' 

"  But  wait,  Richard,  wait  a  year  at  least.  Perhaps 
we  may  win  the  fight  against  this  great  man;  who  can 
tell?  My  father  is  a  fighter!"  She  rose  from  her 
chair,  her  face  flushed,  and  she  clenched  her  hand.  "  I 
hate  this  man  for  he  is  cruel  and  unjust,  and  I  hate  in 
justice  and  cruelty!" 

"  I  hate  him,  too,  Constance,  if  he  wrongs  any  one 
dear  to  you."  He  took  her  hand  and  drew  her  toward 
him.  "  Don't  ask  me  to  wait.  What  will  it  avail  ? 
If  we  love  each  other  today,  we  shall  a  year  from  now  — 
and  forever.  Say  '  yes '  now." 

The  woman  hesitated. 

"  Say  *  yes  '  now,"  he  persisted. 

"  I  will  not  be  the  cause  of  dissension  between  you  and 
your  father,"  she  answered  firmly.  "  Your  whole  fu 
ture  career  may  depend  on  my  answer.  If  your  father 
opposes,  I  cannot  marry  you." 

"  But  with  his  consent  you  will  say  '  yes?  '  "  demanded 
Richard  eagerly. 

"  Yes,"  she  said  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Then  we  need  have  little  anxiety,"  laughed  Richard 


36 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

a  moment  later.  "  He  has  rarely  refused  me  anything, 
and  I  am  in  particularly  high  favor  at  present,  for  to 
morrow  I  am  going  into  business  —  to  plunge  right  into 
the  pool,  so  to  speak,  with  my  father  as  swimming-mas 
ter.  We  are  to  have  a  very  important  meeting  at  which 
I  am  to  be  present.  In  a  short  time  I  am  to  be  made  one 
of  the  directors.  What  is  the  matter?  Why  do  you 
look  so  troubled?  " 

"  Whenever  you  mention  your  father  the  feeling  comes 
over  me  that  he  will  never  approve  of  our  engagement." 

"  He  shall  approve  of  it,"  cried  Richard  quickly. 

Constance  put  her  hand  on  his  arm.  "  You  cannot 
force  him,  Richard." 

"  I  cannot  force  him,  but  it  will  not  be  necessary,"  he 
replied  slowly.  "  You  leave  the  matter  to  me." 

"  You  seem  to  have  taken  entire  charge  of  it,"  replied 
Constance,  a  smile  breaking  through  the  serious  expres 
sion  on  her  face. 


CHAPTER  VI 

RICHARD    LOSES    A    POSITION 

Directors  of  the  mystic  number  seven  met  in  Samuel 
Haverland's  private  office,  with  old  Samuel,  chief  wizard, 
in  the  chair. 

The  faithful  Walters  acted  as  Secretary  of  the  meet 
ing.  He  took  notes  carefully,  writing  the  minutes  up 
afterward  in  beautiful  even  characters,  to  the  great  de 
light  of  his  own  soul. 

Richard  Haverland  came  in  promptly.  He  took  his 
seat  opposite  his  father,  and  beside  Silas  Cotton.  Cot 
ton  was  a  stout,  little  man  with  a  fringe  of  white  hair 
around  his  head.  He  had  been  associated  with  Haver- 
land  ever  since  Richard  could  remember.  Opposite  him 
sat  William  Craig.  Craig  had  inherited  a  long  purse 
from  his  father,  and  a  long  head  as  well.  At  thirty  he 
was  one  of  the  shrewdest  financiers  in  the  country.  He 
had  a  high,  shining,  smooth  frontal  which  was  rapidly 
receding  toward  the  back  of  his  head.  In  speech  and 
manner  he  was  also  smooth.  If  there  was  any  man  In 
the  country  who  could  get  the  best  of  Samuel  Haverland 
it  was  William  Craig,  but  as  yet  he  had  not  done  so. 

Thomas  Cadwell  came  in  late,  with  his  hat  on  the  back 
of  his  head,  and  a  big  black  cigar  between  his  teeth.  He 
put  his  hat  down  on  the  table  with  a  slap  in  front  of 
Silas  Cotton,  whom  he  overlooked,  and  kept  his  cigar 
going  vigorously,  much  to  that  gentleman's  annoyance. 
The  other  members  of  the  board  were  striplings,  con- 

37 


38  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

veniently  supplied  from  Haverland's  office  force.  They 
sat  upon  the  edge  of  their  chairs,  endeavoring  to  appear 
wise,  and  looking  very  uncomfortable. 

"  We  are  a  little  late,  gentlemen,"  began  Haverland, 
before  Cadwell  was  fairly  in  his  place,  "  so  I  will  pro 
ceed  at  once  to  take  up  the  important  matter  of  this 
meeting."  He  leaned  back  in  his  chair,  and,  toying  with 
his  gold-rimmed  eye-glasses,  spoke  in  his  most  beneficent 
tone.  "  In  all  its  branches  of  industry  the  Haverland 
Company  has  met,  and  in  the  main  successfully  over 
come,  an  important  obstacle,  namely,  the  business  of 
competitors.  Within  the  past  few  years  it  has,  in  the 
exercise  of  its  parental  authority,  brought  together  all 
the  plants  which  could  in  any  possible  way  be  useful  to 
it,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  insignificant  concerns  and 
one  very  old  and  still  influential  firm.  This  large  firm 
has  been  given  every  opportunity  to  come  into  the  fold, 
but  strangely  enough  has  refused  to  entertain  our  ad 
vances,  returning  the  inconsequent  answer  that  it  pre 
fers  to  manage  its  affairs  in  its  own  way,  according  to 
old  standards,  rather  than  avail  itself  of  the  advantages 
of  modern  business  methods,  and  be  guided  by  the  intel 
ligence  of  one  head,  working  in  the  interest  of,  and  re 
sponsible  to,  all  the  other  members  of  the  body-corpo 
rate." 

Haverland  cleared  his  throat,  put  on  his  glasses,  and 
looked  around  the  table  at  the  other  directors.  A 
chuckle  sounded  in  Cotton's  throat.  "  That's  like  Hart 
ley,"  he  piped.  "  I  knew  we  should  have  trouble  with 
him.  He  never  did  like  to  play  second  fiddle." 

Richard  started  and  seemed  about  to  speak  when  his 
father  resumed.  *'  Therefore  there  is  only  one  thing 
to  be  done,  to  give  this  concern  an  object  lesson  in  mod 
ern  business  methods,  and  show  them  the  folly  of  their 


RICHARD  LOSES  A  POSITION  89 

position.  This  will  have  a  salutary  effect  upon  other 
concerns." 

"  In  other  words,  spank  them  well  and  then  renew  the 
offer,"  said  Silas  Cotton  cheerfully. 

"  No,  Silas.  In  that  way  the  whole  moral  effect 
would  be  lost.  Hartley  &  Co.  have  had  their  chance. 
If  they  are  ever  permitted  to  come  into  the  fold  it  will 
have  to  be  upon  the  basis  of  the  value  of  their  plant  at 
that  time.  The  longer  they  fight  the  greater  will  be  the 
decrease  in  its  value." 

Richard  Haverland  was  becoming  more  and  more 
agitated. 

Cotton  rubbed  his  hands  together.  "  Squeeze  'em, 
Haverland,  squeeze  'em." 

"  Like  a  lemon,  Cotton,"  said  Cadwell  with  a  wink, 
puffing  steadily  at  his  cigar. 

Cotton's  shrill  voice  was  heard  offering  a  resolution. 
"  I  move  that  the  president  be  given  full  power  to  act 
in  the  Hartley  matter  as  he  deems  for  the  best  interests 
of  this  company,  and  that  he  report  results  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  board." 

"  That  will  cover  the  point,"  said  Craig,  "  I  second 
it." 

"  You  have  heard  the  motion,  gentlemen,"  began  the 
chairman. 

"  Although  not  a  director,  I  should  like  to  ask  a  few 
questions,"  said  Richard  Haverland. 

Everyone  looked  at  him,  for  as  yet  he  had  not  spoken. 

"  Certainly,  Richard,"  said  his  father,  secretly  much 
pleased. 

"  How  do  we  know  that  we  can  teach  Hartley  a  les 
son?  How  de  we  know  beforehand  that  we  can  win  the 
fight?  " 


40  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Walters,  rubbing  some  gold  pieces  together  in  his 
palm,  smiled  almost  broadly. 

Old  Samuel  put  the  tips  of  his  fingers  together  and 
spoke  with  deliberation.  "  The  only  light  which  we 
have  comes  to  us  from  the  lamp  of  experience.  As  a 
new  director  your  apprehension,  or  I  should  say  your 
caution,  is  natural,  but  I  think  I  can  assure  you  as  to 
the  final  outcome." 

"  Will  a  prolonged  warfare  be  costly  ?  " 

"  It  will  be  —  to  somebody." 

"  Could  we  hold  our  own  against  Hartley  under  pres 
ent  conditions  ?  " 

"  Conditions  are  sure  to  vary." 

"  But  have  we  as  good  a  chance  as  he?  " 

"  Better." 

"  Then  why  not  let  him  live?  "  demanded  Richard 
earnestly.  "  Why  not  be  satisfied  with  our  large  and 
profitable  share,  and  let  him  enjoy  his  small  percentage 
of  the  business?  " 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  Walters  under  his  breath,  in  his 
horror  dropping  a  gold  coin  on  the  floor. 

"  We  must  get  everything  that  belongs  to  us,  we  can 
be  satisfied  only  with  the  entire  business,"  replied  old 
Samuel. 

Richard  was  silent  and  thoughtful.  William  Craig 
rubbed  his  smooth  forehead  gently  with  the  tips  of  liis 
slender  fingers,  and  watched  the  two  men  with  great  in 
terest. 

"  Gentlemen,  you  have  heard  the  resolution.  All 
those  in  favor  of  it  signify  their  approval  by  saying 
'  Aye.' '  Haverland  looked  around  at  the  members  of 
the  board  as  they  expressed  their  approval.  "  I  think 
we  are  unanimous,"  he  said  pleasantly. 

"  No,  we  are  not."     Richard  spoke  with  a  suddenness 


RICHARD  LOSES  A  POSITION  41 

which  made  the  boy  directors  jump.  Cadwell  shifted 
his  cigar  and  took  another  look  at  the  young  man. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Richard,"  said  his  father  po 
litely.  "  I  thought  the  discussion  ended.  I  was  not 
aware  that  you  had  a  vote." 

"  Although  I  have  no  vote  I  must  express  myself  in 
regard  to  that  resolution  if  I  sit  here." 

For  once  in  his  life  old  Samuel  showed  surprise. 

"  Do  I  understand  that  you  are  opposed  to  the  line  of 
policy  outlined  in  this  resolution?  " 

"  I  am,  very  strongly." 

Old  Samuel  polished  his  glasses,  adjusted  them  care 
fully,  and  looked  closely  at  his  son. 

"  Don't  you  think  it  good  business  policy,  Richard  ?  " 

"  It  may  be  good  business  policy.  I  don't  know ;  I 
am  not  familiar  enough  with  the  subject  — " 

"  Well,  well,"  said  old  Samuel  with  some  impatience, 
drumming  on  the  table,  "  I  am  afraid  we  are  wasting 
time.  The  Secretary  will  — " 

'*  One  moment !  "  Richard  Haverland  rose  to  his  feet, 
and  looked  earnestly  across  the  table.  Old  Haverland 
looked  intently  at  his  son.  Richard's  mouth  assumed  an 
expression  much  like  his  father's;  there  was  a  flash  in 
his  eye  which  was  like  his  father's.  He  had  the  beauty 
and  strength  of  youth,  but  the  resemblance  between  the 
two  men  suddenly  became  striking.  The  indomitable 
will  of  the  old  man  was  visible  in  every  line  of  the  young 
man. 

"  I  am  opposed  to  this  resolution,"  began  Richard 
Haverland  quietly,  "  because  The  Hartley  Company  is 
an  old  established,  highly  respected  house.  Its  name  is 
a  synonym  for  honesty  and  fair  dealing.  I  tliink  we 
ought  to  be  generous."  Richard  paused  and  looked 


42 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

into  the  faces  of  the  directors  as  if  for  some  reply. 
They  were  unresponsive  and  expressionless. 

"  Is  that  all?  "  asked  old  Samuel. 

"  I  oppose  this  resolution  because  James  Hartley  was 
once  a  friend  of  yours;  he  is  still  a  friend  of  mine,  a 
man  whom  I  respect  and  honor.  I  have  sat  at  his  table 
and  eaten  his  bread.  I  could  no  more  vote  for  this  reso 
lution  than  I  could  stab  him  in  the  back.  I  beg  of  you 
to  reconsider  it." 

There  was  a  ring  in  his  voice  which  gave  even  Thomas 
Cadwell  a  momentary  stir  in  the  region  of  the  heart. 

"  Those  sentiments  are  very  creditable,  Richard,"  said 
old  Samuel  dryly.  "  You  plead  our  friend's  case  very 
well.  It  pleases  me  to  hear  you  in  command  of  so  much 
eloquence.  It  will  be  of  great  advantage  to  you  if  you 
should  ever  practice  law ;  but  we  must  not  forget  that  the 
Haverland  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  to 
do  business.  The  Secretary  will  record  a  unanimous 
vote  in  favor  of  the  resolution." 

Richard  Haverland  looked  into  his  father's  face. 
Samuel  Haverland  looked  calmly  back  at  him.  The  flint 
in  the  old  man  struck  the  steel  in  the  son.  It  was  Rich 
ard's  eye  that  flashed  angrily  for  an  instant,  then  he  re 
plied  calmly : 

"  I  regret  that  I  must  withdraw  from  this  meeting. 
Gentlemen,  I  wish  you  good  morning,"  and  he  walked 
quickly  from  the  room.  As  the  door  closed  behind  him, 
Samuel  Haverland  took  up  the  word  again  with  com 
posure,  as  if  nothing  had  happened  to  distrub  him. 

"  Is  there  any  further  business  to  come  before  the 
board  today  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  replied  the  Secretary. 

The  meeting  adjourned.  The  clerks  went  back  to 
their  desks  in  the  outer  office  with  the  gold  pieces  grow- 


RICHARD  LOSES  A  POSITION  43 

ing  warm  in  their  pockets.  Silas  Cotton  hurried  away 
to  attend  another  board-meeting.  William  Craig  took 
his  director's  fee  and  his  departure ;  and  Walters,  gather 
ing  up  his  papers,  retired  to  his  desk  to  write  up  the 
minutes,  and  to  ponder  over  the  astonishing  conduct  of 
Richard  Haverland. 

Samuel  Haverland  and  Thomas  Cadwell  were  left 
alone. 

"  Mr.  Haverland,"  said  Cadwell,  tossing  his  half- 
smoked  cigar  into  the  cuspidor  and  leaning  over  the 
table,  "  I  want  to  have  a  little  talk  with  you." 

"  I  can  give  you,"  replied  Samuel  Haverland,  looking 
at  his  watch,  "  fifteen  minutes." 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  frankly, —  you  know  I  never  beat 
around  the  bush  —  how  do  you  stand  in  regard  to  the 
Senatorship  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  long  way  off,"  replied  old  Samuel.  "  Let 
me  see,  it  is  three  years  off." 

"  One  has  to  take  time  by  the  forelock  in  these  mat 
ters,  and  I  tell  you  frankly  that  I  have  had  a  grip  on 
that  forelock  for  some  time  past.  How  do  you  stand  in 
regard  to  it  ?  " 

Samuel  Haverland  was  thoughtful  for  a  few  mo 
ments.  "  You  know  I  never  go  into  politics  myself,  but 
I  can  think  of  no  one  who  would  fill  the  position  with 
greater  credit  than  you." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,"  replied  Cadwell. 
"I  wanted  to  be  sure  that  you  did  not  favor  William 
Craig." 

The  expression  in  Mr.  Haverland's  eyes  was  so  grati 
fying  to  Cadwell  that  he  smiled  as  he  asked :  "  Then  I 
can  count  upon  your  support  ?  " 

"  Upon  my  moral  support,  yes,  Mr.  Cadwell.  You 
know  when  we  first  entered  into  what  has  proved  so 


44  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

agreeable  and  so  profitable  an  alliance,  it  was  understood 
that  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  Manufacturing  Com 
pany  my  wishes  were  to  be  paramount,  while  in  turn  I 
was  to  leave  the  political  end  to  you.  Your  ambition 
points  toward  the  Senate.  I  think  that  you  will  be  a 
great  addition  to  that  distinguished  body.  I  am  sure 
that  our  interests  will  not  suffer  if  you  attain  the  goal. 
You  shall  have  my  support  —  my  moral  support  —  and 
my  sincere  wishes  for  your  success." 

Having  delivered  himself  at  this  length,  Samuel  Hav- 
erland  gave  Mr.  Cadwell  one  of  his  mirthless  smiles,  and 
looked  at  his  watch. 

"  That  is  all  I  want  to  know,"  replied  Thomas  Cad- 
well  briskly,  getting  up  and  shaking  his  associate's  dry 
hand.  "  We  are  in  perfect  accord,"  and  he  went  off  in 
a  very  pleasant  frame  of  mind. 


CHAPTER  VII 

KICB.AKD    BELONGS    TO    HIMSELF 

If  at  dinner  that  evening  Samuel  Haverland  talked 
more  than  was  his  custom  his  loquacity  veiled  an  emotion 
deeper  than  he  ever  allowed  himself  to  betray. 

But  if  old  Samuel  was  unusually  talkative,  Richard 
was  unusually  reserved,  and  he  sat  without  opening  his 
mouth,  except  to  eat  his  dinner,  and  that  very  sparingly. 
As  soon  as  he  had  finished,  he  rose,  and  with  the  cloud 
still  upon  his  brow,  started  to  walk  slowly  out  of  the 
room. 

Haverland  stopped  him  with  a  quick :  "  Richard,  can 
you  spare  me  a  few  minutes  ?  " 

Silently  the  son  turned  and  followed  his  father  into 
his  private  library.  Old  Samuel  closed  the  door,  and 
motioned  his  son  to  a  seat.  The  room  was  more  of  an 
office  than  a  library.  A  flat  green-topped  desk  was  in 
the  centre;  the  chairs  were  leather-covered  and  stiff- 
backed  ;  while  on  the  book-shelves  were  rows  of  black- 
bound,  reportorial  looking  volumes,  indicating  a  statis 
tical  rather  than  a  literary  or  aesthetic  taste. 

"  Richard,  why  did  you  oppose  me  at  the  board-meet 
ing  this  morning?  "  asked  Haverland. 

"  Because  I  could  not  agree  with  you ;  I  felt  that  I 
was  in  the  right." 

Old  Samuel's  eye-brows  lifted  slightly,  and  the  dry 
smile  came  to  the  corners  of  his  mouth. 

"  H'm,"  he  said.  "  I  am  anxious  to  learn  your  real 
motive." 

45 


46 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  You  do  know  it.  Although  Hartley  may  be  no 
longer  a  friend  of  yours,  he  is  a  friend  of  mine." 

"  I  have  no  ill-will  toward  Hartley.  I'm  sure  I  wish 
him  well,"  replied  Haverland,  putting  the  tips  of  his 
fingers  together.  "  Have  you  any  strong  reason  for 
wishing  his  friendship  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"May  I  ask  what  it  is?" 

"  I  love  his  daughter." 

Haverland  showed  neither  annoyance  nor  surprise. 
Richard  maintained  an  outward  calm  which  equalled  that 
of  his  father. 

Old  Samuel  spoke  meditatively.  "  Let  me  see,  she  is 
that  little  girl  with  curly  hair  and  bright  eyes.  The 
last  time  I  saw  her  was  at  one  of  the  church  sociables. 
She  had  on  short  skirts." 

Richard  answered  with  the  same  exactness.  "  I  do 
not  think  that  you  have  noticed  her  for  five  years  or 
more.  She  does  not  wear  short  skirts  now." 

Samuel  Haverland  looked  thoughtfully  at  his  son. 
"  And  so  you  have  fallen  in  love  with  Hartley's  little 
girl  and  want  to  marry  her." 

"  Yes." 

"  And  no  other  girl  will  do?  " 

Richard  made  no  reply. 

"  Well,  I  can  see  no  objection  to  your  marrying  this 
one." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  give  your  consent?  "  cried 
Richard. 

"  Yes,  most  certainly." 

Richard  seized  his  father's  cold  hand.  "  You  are 
most  generous.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  grateful  I  am 
to  you  for  yielding,  and  my  happiness  is  increased  ten 


RICHARD  BELONGS  TO  HIMSELF        47 

fold  by  the  thought  that  Hartley  will  not  be  forced  out 
of  business  by  you." 

"  That  is  a  different  matter,"  said  his  father. 

Richard  dropped  the  hand  as  if  it  had  been  hot  iron. 

"  Aren't  you  going  to  have  the  resolution  rescinded?  " 
he  cried. 

"  It  has  not  occurred  to  me  to  do  so." 

"  But  I  do  not  understand !     I  thought  you  meant  — " 

"  I  said  all  that  I  meant.  I  have  no  objection  to  your 
marrying  Miss  Hartley." 

"  But  how  can  you  do  anything  that  will  work  injury 
to  the  father  of  the  woman  I  love?  "  exclaimed  Richard. 

"  There  is  another  way  of  looking  at  the  matter. 
Hartley  is  responsible  for  his  own  injury  by  refusing  to 
yield  to  the  inevitable.  He  might  have  enjoyed  a  hand 
some  income  for  the  rest  of  his  life  if  he  had  chosen. 
We  do  not  ruin  him." 

"  Nevertheless  he  will  be  ruined  by  results  springing 
from  your  action  of  today." 

Haverland  nodded. 

"  And  he  is  her  father,"  said  Richard.  He  rose  to 
his  feet,  and  began  to  pace  the  floor.  "  When  she 
learns  of  your  attitude  toward  her  father  do  you  sup 
pose  she  will  marry  me  ?  " 

"  I  think  she  will  jump  at  you."  Old  Samuel  per 
mitted  a  light  of  admiration  to  creep  into  his  eyes  for  a 
moment.  "  You  can  marry  whom  you  choose.  You  can 
have  all  the  money  you  want.  As  your  father-in-law 
Hartley  need  never  come  to  want.  Only  you  must  prom 
ise  not  to  advance  him  any  money  to  sink  in  his  busi 
ness,"  he  added  with  his  dry  smile. 

"  No,"  replied  Richard  firmly.  "  If  I  accept  the  res 
olution  you  passed  today  I  can  not  marry  Miss  Hartley." 

"  You  are  mistaken.     I  wanted  to  show  you  that  it 


48 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

was  not  at  all  a  question  of  money.  Business  principle 
is  involved,"  replied  the  father. 

"  It  amounts  to  the  same  thing." 

"  Not  at  all."  Samuel  Haverland  waited  patiently 
for  a  few  moments,  then  he  continued :  "  Those  who 
do  not  know  me  call  me  mean  and  sordid;  is  that  your 
opinion  ?  " 

"  To  me  you  have  always  been  most  generous,"  said 
Richard. 

"  Look  at  the  stub  of  my  check-book,  and  it  will  tell 
you  whether  or  not  I  am  miserly." 

"  I  do  not  need  to  see  it.  I  know  how  liberally  you 
spend  and  give  your  money." 

"  If  I  have  wealth  it  is  not  because  I  have  hoarded  it 
avariciously,  but  because  I  have  never  wasted  a  cent  of 
money,  a  moment  of  time,  nor  a  single  opportunity ;  nor 
have  I  ever  been  turned  aside  in  business  by  any  foolish 
sentiment." 

Richard  sat  down  in  a  chair  opposite  his  father,  and 
leaning  across  the  desk,  said  earnestly :  "  There  is  al 
ways  one  exception ;  make  this  yours.  Have  the  resolu 
tion  rescinded.  Let  Hartley  &  Company  continue  in 
business,  at  least  as  long  as  James  Hartley  lives.  Let 
us  be  content  with  smaller  profits  in  order  that  he  may 
have  some." 

"  This  is  not  a  question  of  Hartley's  profits.  For 
your  sake  I  would  gladly  pay  him  the  sum  annually,  but 
again  I  tell  you,  there  is  a  deeper  principle  involved, 
that  of  business  interests  — " 

"  Can't  they  be  put  aside  for  once  ? "  interrupted 
Richard  eagerly  — "  For  once  allow  '  foolish  sentiment ' 
to  prevail." 

"  What  you  ask  is  impracticable.  You  must  remem 
ber  that  beside  my  own  I  have  other  interests  to  look 


RICHARD  BELONGS  TO  HIMSELF        49 

after,  the  interests  of  those  who  trust  to  my  judgment." 

"  You  have  never  denied  me  anything  until  now," 
said  Richard.  "  I  only  wish  you  had,  for  this  is  every 
thing." 

"  I  repeat  that  you  can  marry  this  girl  if  you  will. 
When  she  refuses  you  it  will  be  time  to  talk  of  being 
denied." 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  can  ruin  her  father,  perhaps 
break  her  heart  and  then  marry  her?  But  she  would  not 
marry  me." 

"  Ask  her,"  suggested  Haverland. 

Richard  rose  to  his  feet  and  slowly  walked  the  floor. 
Stopping  before  his  father  he  asked  quietly :  "  Will 
nothing  move  you?  Are  you  determined  to  crush  Hart- 
ley?" 

"  If  he  persists  in  standing  in  the  way,  he  will  be,  as 
you  say,  crushed." 

A  look  of  awe  was  in  Richard's  eyes  as  he  asked : 

"  Has  everyone  who  has  stood  in  your  way  been 
crushed  ?  " 

"  Every  obstacle  has  been  removed.  I  deal  with  af 
fairs  and  with  men  as  the  times  demand.  Whatever  I 
touch  I  must  own." 

He  spoke  slowly,  looking  at  his  son  calmly  with  his 
fathomless  eyes. 

"  And  must  I  do  this  ?  "  asked  Richard  in  a  low  tone. 

"  If  you  would  keep  your  fortune  you  must  follow  in 
my  footsteps.  You  must  never  let  your  grasp  relax. 
If  you  let  power  slip  from  your  hands  for  a  moment  it 
will  be  wrested  from  you." 

"  But  I  cannot  do  this !  "  cried  his  son. 

"  You  can,"  replied  his  father.  You  have  the 
strength  of  ten  men  such  as  I.  Oh,  how  I  envy  you  your 
energy !  What  a  capacity  for  work  it  will  give  you. 


50  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

I  have  had  you  trained  expressly  for  the  fight.  With 
your  strength  and  brains  none  can  equal  you.  You 
shall  surpass  them  all !  " 

"  And  you  have  done  so  much  for  me  just  for  this?  " 
asked  Richard  sadly.  "  Did  you  not  do  it  because  you 
loved  me  ?  " 

"  I  did  it  because  you  were  worth  it,  is  that  not  reason 
enough?  Ever  since  you  were  three  years  old  I  have 
cared  for  you  constantly.  It  was  then  I  first  really 
noticed  you,  but  even  at  that  age  you  were  finer  and 
braver  than  other  children.  It  was  no  foolish  parent's 
blind  affection.  I  saw  at  a  glance  the  possibilities  of 
your  development ;  from  that  moment  everything  I  could 
devise  was  done  for  you.  Ungrudgingly  I  spent  a  for 
tune  on  your  education.  As  you  grew,  I  noted  with  joy 
your  force  of  character.  I  saw  you  could  not  easily  be 
spoiled  by  freedom,  so  I  let  you  have  it.  You  are  the 
finest  man  in  the  world,  and  you  belong  to  me." 

"  No,  I  belong  to  myself,"  replied  Richard.  "  I  owe 
you  very  much.  But  you  have  done  so  much  for  me 
that  you  owe  me  still  more.  You  owe  it  to  me  to  spare 
Hartley.  He  is  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  woman  I 
love." 

The  two  men  looked  at  each  other  in  silence  for  a  few 
moments.  "  No,  Richard,"  answered  Haverland  slowly, 
"  I  can  not  yield  to  you  in  this." 

"  I  will  not  stand  quietly  by  and  see  you  do  this,"  said 
Richard. 

"  What  will  you  do  ?  "  asked  his  father. 

"  I  shall  have  to  leave  you." 

For  the  second  time  in  his  life  Samuel  Haverland  was 
startled  by  his  son. 

"  Why,  you  can't  get  on  without  me.  Every  morsel 
you  have  eaten  has  been  provided  by  me.  The  clothes 


RICHARD  BELONGS  TO  HIMSELF        51 

on  your  back  have  been  paid  for  by  me.  Your  horses, 
your  yacht,  your  automobiles,  the  watch  in  your  pocket, 
the  ring  on  your  finger,  all  come  from  the  same  source 
—  from  me." 

"  That  is  all  true,"  assented  Richard  quietly. 

"  Why,  how  can  you  get  along  in  the  world  without 
me,  without  my  money  ?  "  repeated  his  father. 

"  With  the  brain  which  I  have  inherited  from  you ; 
with  the  education  which  you  have  paid  for;  with  the 
strength  which  I  possess."  Half  unconsciously  Richard 
stretched  out  his  muscular  arms.  "  I  feel  so  strong  I 
fear  no  conflict,"  he  said  simply. 

"  You  could  earn  a  living  digging  in  a  ditch,"  re 
marked  his  father  dryly. 

"  Yes,"  assented  Richard,  "  I  could." 

Again  there  was  a  short  silence. 

"  Richard,  you  spoke  a  few  moments  ago  of  a  senti 
ment  called  love.  Doubtless  you  recognize  a  sentiment 
known  as  filial  love,  or  at  least  filial  duty.  Can  you  rec 
oncile  that  with  cutting  loose  from  me  and  leaving  me  as 
easily  as  though  I  were  a  stranger  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  ungrateful  to  you,  sir.  God  knows  I  am 
not,  but  since  I  have  had  this  talk  with  you  I  am  the 
more  determined  to  go  out  and  make  my  own  way  in  the 
world.  I  do  not  cut  loose  from  you  in  anger.  If  you 
could  read  my  heart  you  would  see  that  I  do  not  leave 
you  easily." 

"  So  this  is  the  result  of  my  labor?  At  the  first  dif 
ference  of  opinion  the  son  disowns  the  father,"  continued 
Haverland,  grimly. 

"  I  do  not  disown  my  father,"  said  Richard.  "  I 
can  not  forget  that  he  is  my  father,  nor  what  he  has 
done  for  me ;  but  henceforth  I  must  do  for  myself.  You 
spoke  the  truth  when  you  said  that  everything  I  have,  to 


52  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

the  very  clothes  on  my  back,  came  from  you,  but  in  spite 
of  this  bounty  you  cannot  control  my  actions  for  right  or 
wrong.  I  am  the  keeper  of  my  own  conscience." 

"  I  do  not  seek  to  control  your  actions.  You  may 
keep  your  own  conscience,  only  in  business  affairs  you 
had  better  be  guided  by  me  until  you  have  had  more  ex 
perience,"  said  Haverland. 

"  No,"  replied  Richard,  "  I  must  not.  I  must  judge 
for  myself,  and  I  must  judge  now.  Later  it  will  be  too 
late.  For  all  the  money  in  the  world  I  would  not  have 
had  this  difference  arise  between  us,  but  it  has  arisen. 
If  you  cannot  change,  neither  can  I.  Good  bye,  father." 
There  was  a  tremor  in  Richard's  voice,  and  Haverland 
felt  the  grasp  of  his  son's  hand  long  after  he  had  gone. 

"  This  is  your  own  doing,  not  mine,"  said  Haverland. 

"  Let  us  say  that  it  is  the  doing  of  Business  Interests," 
replied  Richard ;  "  it  is  far  better  that  it  should  come 
now,  at  the  very  beginning,  and  that  we  should  part, 
friends." 

"  When  you  find  out  what  the  world  really  is  you  will 
come  back,"  said  Haverland. 

Richard  was  silent,  he  still  held  his  father's  hand. 

"  Remember  that  this  is  your  home,  and  that  you  will 
always  find  the  door  open  to  you." 

Richard  could  not  remember  that  his  father  had  ever 
kissed  him ;  he  could  not  recall  that  his  father  had  ever 
taken  him  in  his  arms.  With  a  sudden  impulse  of  affec 
tion  he  raised  the  impassive  hand  to  his  lips. 

"  Good  bye,  father," —  and  old  Samuel  was  left  alone. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

RICHARD    WINS    A    BRIDE 

Miss  Veronica  Hunnewell,  from  the  chamber  window 
where  she  kept  her  vigil,  gave  a  little  cry  of  surprise 
when  she  saw  him,  whom  she  hailed  spiritually  as  her 
Greek  Hero,  arrive  at  the  Hartley  mansion,  not  in  his 
flaming  red  chariot,  heralded  by  a  whirl  of  dust  and  a 
trumpeting  of  exploding  gasoline,  but  on  foot,  walking 
rapidly  down  the  street  and  running  up  the  steps  to  be 
quickly  hidden  from  her  sight  by  the  relentless  closing 
of  the  door.  However  this  seemingly  hard-hearted  door 
spared  the  heart  of  Veronica  a  pang,  for  no  sooner  had 
it  closed  than  Constance's  hand  was  in  Richard's.  That 
which  followed  was  seen  only  by  the  door;  its  polished 
oaken  face  shone  responsively,  but  what  it  beheld  on  such 
occasions  it  never  divulged  even  by  the  faintest  squeak. 

"  I  have  much  to  tell  you,  Constance,"  he  said,  sitting 
down  near  her  in  the  old  library.  But  instead  of  telling 
her  at  once,  he  sat  looking  into  the  expectant  face. 

"  Well,"  she  began,  "  were  you  a  success  as  a  business 
man?  Did  you  astonish  them  with  your  knowledge  of 
affairs?  " 

"  Yes,  I  astonished  them." 

From  the  tone  of  his  voice  or  the  look  in  his  eye,  she 
instantly  divined  a  tragedy.  Catching  his  hand  she 
whispered :  "  He  knows  about  it  already.  You  have 
told  him." 

"  Yes,  I  have  told  him." 

63 


54  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

She  threw  up  her  head  proudly.  "  And  he  says  that 
I  am  not  a  suitable  person  for  his  son,  that  I  am  not  rich 
enough,  and  you  must  give  me  up  —  "  she  hesitated  — 
"  must  give  me  up  or  accept  the  alternative.  I  cannot 
be  the  cause  of  misfortune  to  you,  I  must  not.  I  told 
you  I  would  not.  You  will  have  to  give  me  up."  And 
for  a  moment  she  held  his  hand  closer  to  her  heart. 

"  No,  he  does  not  ask  me  to  give  you  up,  he  says  that 
I  may  marry  you." 

"  He  says  that?  "  she  cried  out  in  surprise.  "  He 
really  wishes  it?  And  to  think  that  I  misjudged 
him!" 

Richard  looked  at  her,  his  strong  face  showing  his 
agitation. 

"  Constance,  you  told  me  that  some  one  was  trying  to 
force  your  father  into  a  certain  position  against  his  will 
—  that  if  he  resisted  he  might  be  ruined.  The  man  who 
is  doing  this  is  my  father  —  my  own  father." 

She  started  back  from  him  as  if  he  had  given  her  a 
blow,  then  as  she  looked  at  him  the  expression  on  her 
face  changed  to  one  of  pity.  She  held  out  her  hand 
suddenly,  giving  and  asking  sympathy. 

"  Mr.  Hartley  is  an  obstacle  in  his  way ;  he  will  crush 
him  unless  he  yields,"  said  Richard. 

She  had  turned  very  pale,  but  now  a  flush  came  to  her 
cheek,  and  her  hand  clenched. 

"  He  will  not  yield !  Not  when  he  is  in  the  right. 
He  shall  not  yield  to  your  father.  I  will  not  have  him." 

"  Before  you  knew  who  it  was,  you  said  you  hated  him. 
Now  that  you  do  know  I  suppose  you  hate  him  still 
more.  And  I  am  his  son.  I  suppose  you  will  hate  me." 

The  tone  was  tender  in  which  she  replied :  "  You  do 
not  really  think  that.  You  do  not  really  think  so  poorly 


RICHARD  WINS  A  BRIDE  55 

of  me  as  to  believe  I  could  hold  you  responsible  for  the 
wrongdoing  of  another." 

"  Do  not  condemn  my  father  too  harshly,"  said  Rich 
ard  with  sudden  earnestness.  "  He  is  moved  by  what  he 
considers  the  large  interests  confided  to  his  care." 

"  For  your  sake  and  for  your  sake  only,  I  will  not 
condemn  him,"  she  said  gently. 

"  He  is  controlled  by  a  fixed  purpose  which  nothing 
can  shake.  I  did  everything  I  could  to  change  it.  I 
argued  and  pleaded  with  him,  but  it  was  useless.  We 
cannot  see  things  in  the  same  light.  We  could  never 
agree." 

"  Did  you  quarrel  with  your  father? "  she  asked 
anxiously. 

"  No,  he  never  quarrels,  he  merely  dominates.  He 
insisted  that  I  should  agree  with  him  in  carrying  out  the 
business  policy  of  the  Haverland  Company.  I  refused 
—  And  then  we  separated, —  but  we  did  not  separate  in 
anger.  I  shall  go  to  his  house  to  see  him  —  and  my 
mother  —  but  I  shall  no  longer  accept  my  living  from 
his  hands.  I  must  earn  it  myself." 

The  girl  looked  at  him  appealingly.  "  I  feared  it 
would  happen.  I  did  not  know  exactly  how,  but  I  feared 
something  like  this  would  happen.  And  I  am  the  cause 
of  it,  after  all." 

"  No,  you  are  not,"  replied  Richard  quickly.  "  It 
would  have  been  the  same  if  you  had  never  existed. 
Upon  certain  points  my  father  and  I  could  never  agree." 

"  Are  you  sure  —  absolutely  sure  ?  "  she  asked  with 
intensity. 

"  I  am  sure,"  he  answered.  "  And  now  the  thing  is 
done.  It  cannot  be  undone.  It  must  be.  You  are  not 
the  cause  of  it.  You  must  believe  that,  for  he  did  not 
even  oppose  my  marrying  you." 


56 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Constance  smiled  sadly. 

"  And  now  I  am  without  a  cent,"  Richard  continued. 
"  I  am  nobody.  I  have  nothing.  I  love  you  more  than 
ever,  now  that  I  must  give  you  up." 

The  girl  started,  then  she  looked  at  him  yearningly. 

"  Richard,  I  have  given  you  my  heart.  I  cannot  take 
it  back.  Wherever  you  go  my  heart  goes  with  you. 
Whatever  happens  I  shall  always  love  you." 

"  I  know  that,"  he  said  gently,  "  but  I  must  release 
you  from  any  obligation  to  marry  me.  Your  father  will 
never  consent  to  your  marrying  a  man  with  nothing  in 
the  world  but  these."  He  stretched  out  his  arms  like  a 
young  giant  who  had  as  yet  not  tried  his  strength. 
Somehow,  when  he  brought  them  down  they  encircled 
the  girl. 

"  It  is  not  because  we  lack  confidence  in  each  other's 
love,"  he  said  tenderly,  "  but  I  must  leave  you  free.  I 
must  not  come  between  you  and  your  parents." 

She  looked  up  in  his  face,  saying,  "  My  father  and 
mother  would  do  anything  in  the  world  where  my  happi 
ness  is  concerned.  And  in  this  case  where  it  means 
you  —  Oh,  you  need  me  now !  You  need  me  more  than 
ever,  now  that  you  have  given  up  everything  else." 

He  kissed  her,  saying: 

"  But  you  do  not  understand  how  far  beneath  you  in 
the  social  scale  I  now  am.  Why,  I  may  have  to  be  a 
day-laborer,  just  as  my  father  suggested." 

"  Then  I  shall  be  the  woman  who  brings  the  pail." 

"  You  have  been  brought  up  in  luxury  — " 

"  And  have  not  you  ?  "  she  replied  quickly. 

"  It  is  different  with  me.  I  am  a  man,  and  should 
know  what  the  rough  places  in  life  are  like.  I  must 
think  of  you." 


RICHARD  WINS  A  BRIDE 57 

"  That  was  all  settled  when  I  told  you  that  I  loved 
you.  The  future  must  be  alike  for  both  of  us." 

"  I  feel  little  anxiety  as  to  the  future,"  cried  the 
young  man.  "  It  seems  to  me  at  this  moment  as  if 
nothing  could  withstand  me,  as  if  I  could  dominate  the 
world." 

"  You  are  the  strongest  man  in  the  world,"  said  the 
girl  admiringly. 

"  I'm  not  as  strong  as  Terry  Dunbar,"  replied  Rich 
ard  sportively. 

"  In  character  and  strength  of  purpose  you  are  the 
strongest  man  I  have  ever  known,  and  I  shall  always 
trust  you,  through  this  world  and  through  all  eternity." 

At  the  moment  when  Richard  Haverland  leaned  for 
ward  and  kissed  her,  Samuel  Haverland,  alone  in  his 
study  a  few  city  blocks  away,  rose  from  his  well-worn 
leather  chair,  slowly  sipped  a  glass  of  milk  handed  him 
by  a  servant,  and  looked  placidly  at  the  wall  while  he 
adjusted  his  mind  for  sleep. 

The  Haverland  Company  was  not  the  only  iron  which 
old  Samuel  had  in  the  commercial  fire.  He  had  almost 
as  many  interests  as  there  were  industries.  The  sturdy 
antagonism  of  Hartley  had  aroused  him,  and  he  now 
concentrated  all  his  thought  and  energy  on  the  immedi 
ate  annihilation  of  this  business  rival.  This  once  ac 
complished  he  would  be  able  to  employ  himself  oleas- 
antly  and  profitably  in  many  other  directions. 

So  he  spent  the  evening  quietly  planning  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  Hartley  Company.  He  laid  all  his  plans 
with  the  careful  patience  and  the  exact  detail  of  a  Na 
poleon  preparing  for  a  campaign,  and  like  Napoleon  he 
loaded  the  dice  when  the  emergency  demanded.  As  he 
looked  over  the  rim  of  the  glass  of  milk  at  the  trim  pat 
tern  of  the  wall  paper,  he  seemed  to  be  looking  into  the 


58 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

future,  seeing  every  move  of  his  adversary,  and,  like  a 
skilful  chess-player,  quietly  preparing  the  check.  The 
final  result  was  a  foregone  conclusion. 

Samuel  Haverland  wiped  the  last  drops  of  milk  from 
his  lips,  and  took  his  body  and  his  quiet  mind  off  to  their 
natural  rest. 

In  his  own  study,  James  Hartley  still  continued  to  sit 
at  his  desk.  He  had  more  at  stake  than  Haverland ; 
and  he  was  fighting  against  great  odds. 

Meanwhile  Richard  and  Constance  were  sitting  in  the 
library. 

"  Where  is  your  father?  "  asked  Richard. 

"  He  is  in  his  private  room,  working.  He  is  working 
too  hard,"  replied  Constance,  with  a  sigh. 

"  I  will  go  up  and  speak  with  him." 

"  You  are  going  to  tell  him  — 

"  That  we  wish  to  be  married,  yes." 

"  Had  I  not  better  tell  him  first?  "  she  asked  with  some 
solicitude. 

"  No,  I  want  to  ask  his  consent,"  replied  Richard. 

"  He  may  refuse  you.  My  father  is  not  difficult  to 
get  on  with,  if  you  understand  him.  Your  father  did 
not  understand  him  — " 

"  Have  no  such  fears  about  me,"  replied  Richard. 
"  Nothing  shall  disturb  the  friendly  relations  which  have 
existed  between  Mr.  Hartley  and  me." 

James  Hartley  was  deeply  absorbed  in  a  host  of  fig 
ures  when  he  heard  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  bade  his 
visitor  enter.  The  vivid  electricity  from  the  drop-light 
blinded  him  as  he  looked  up  from  his  work,  and  he  did 
not  see  at  once  who  it  was  that  entered. 

"  Good  evening,  Mr.  Hartley." 

Hartley   pushed  the  lamp  aside  in  order  to  see  the 


RICHARD  WINS  A  BRIDE 59 

speaker,  and  then  answered  with  marked  coldness: 
"  Good  evening,  Mr.  Haverland." 

"  I  hope  that  you  will  excuse  my  coming  in  upon  you 
so  unceremoniously,  but  it  was  so  late  I  could  not  find  a 
servant  to  announce  me." 

Hartley  met  this  overture  with  silence.  He  looked  at 
Richard  Haverland  searchingly,  but  there  was  no  light 
of  greeting  in  his  usually  pleasant  blue  eyes. 

"  You  may  be  surprised  to  see  me  here  at  this  late 
hour,"  began  Richard,  seating  himself  and  looking  at 
his  intended  father-in-law  earnestly. 

Hartley  replied  coldly :  "  I  have  been  so  much  occu 
pied  that  I  have  had  time  to  notice  little,  but  in  view  of 
my  present  relations  with  your  father  it  would  seem  more 
fitting  for  you  not  to  be  here  at  all." 

"  On  the  contrary  I  want  to  come  frequently.  I  want 
to  be  your  friend,  Mr.  Hartley." 

"  Do  you  come  from  your  father?  "  asked  Hartley, 
flushing. 

"  Unfortunately,  No." 

"  Mr.  Haverland,  there  can  be  no  friendship  between 
you  and  me." 

"  My  dear  sir,"  cried  Richard  earnestly,  coming  up  to 
him  with  extended  hand,  "  you  and  I  must  not  let  any 
thing  affect  our  friendship.  Indeed  we  must  not.  I 
love  your  daughter." 

Hartley  ignored  his  hand  and  looked  at  him  in  silence. 

"  I  love  your  daughter,  sir,"  repeated  Richard,  "  and 
I  have  come  to  ask  your  consent  to  our  marriage,  but 
that  cannot  be  much  of  a  surprise  to  you." 

"  By  God,  sir,  it  is  a  surprise  to  me ! "  cried  Hartley, 
bringing  his  fist  down  upon  the  table.  "  After  what  has 
taken  place  between  Samuel  Haverland  and  me,  I  wonder 
at  your  being  in  my  house.  I  am  amazed  that  you 


60 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

should  wish  to  enter  my  family.  Do  you  think  that  the 
son  of  a  man  who  is  ruining  my  business  can  ever  be  my 
son-in-law?  " 

"  We  can  not  regulate  the  sentiments  of  our  heart  by 
the  rules  of  business,"  replied  Richard  quietly,  "  and  I 
love  your  daughter." 

"  Mr.  Haverland,"  said  Hartley,  "  I  cannot  help  lik 
ing  you  in  spite  of  your  name,  but  your  father  and  I 
are  engaged  in  the  bitterest  of  conflicts.  There  can  be 
no  alliance  between  us.  You  know  he  would  not  consent 
to  it,  and  I  would  not,  even  if  he  would." 

"  I  wish  you  would  reconsider,  sir,"  said  Richard. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  reconsider.  Why,  suppose  I 
should  let  my  daughter  marry  you,  people  would  think 
I  did  it  hoping  to  make  my  peace  with  your  father." 

"  And  would  you  care  what  people  thought  as  long 
as  you  knew  that  you  did  it  because  you  loved  your 
daughter?  " 

"  I  know  this,  if  you  insist  on  plain  speaking,  I  would 
rather  see  Constance  dead  in  her  coffin  than  to  see  her 
with  the  name  of  Haverland.  I  hate  that  name,  because 
I  hate  your  father." 

"  I  still  think,  sir,  that  you  and  I  can  be  friends," 
replied  Richard  with  quiet  persistence,  "  and  I  shall 
always  love  your  daughter." 

"  No  one  but  your  father  and  the  devil  within  him 
knows  how  he  has  harassed  me  during  the  past  year.  He 
has  slowly  driven  me  into  a  corner  and  nows  says :  '  stand 
and  deliver.'  I  am  standing  at  bay,  but  I  will  not  de 
liver.  I  will  fight  him  to  the  end,  and  I  will  hate  him 
to  the  end." 

Hartley  did  not  see  Constance  standing  in  the  door 
way;  he  did  not  know  that  his  daughter  was  in  the 
room  until  he  felt  her  arms  around  his  neck. 


RICHARD  WINS  A  BRIDE 61 

"  Do  you  hate  his  name  more  than  you  love  me, 
father?" 

"  You  have  me  at  a  disadvantage,  Constance,"  he  said, 
putting  his  large  hand  over  both  of  hers,  and  trying  to 
laugh. 

"  No,  but  do  you,  father?  " 

"  I  love  you  with  all  my  heart,  my  dear  little  girl." 

"  And  I  love  that  name,"  she  whispered. 

"  Constance,  this  is  not  fair,  listen  to  reason." 

"  Listen,  you,  to  reason,  father.  There  does  not  seem 
as  though  there  could  be  any  other  name  for  me  than 
Haverland." 

"  I  suppose  that  you  will  give  us  all  up  for  this  newer 
love,"  said  Hartley  bitterly. 

"  I  have  promised  to  marry  Richard,"  she  replied, 
"  and  I  cannot  give  him  up  now  — "  Her  father's  brow 
darkened.  "  Neither  can  I  give  you  up.  It  would 
break  my  heart,  so  I  am  trying  to  keep  you  both  — " 
She  bent  over  him  tenderly  with  her  face  close  to  his  — 
"  for  I  love  you,  too." 

When  he  looked  up  he  saw  that  they  were  alone. 

"  Call  him  back,"  he  said,  deeply  moved. 

When  Richard  came  into  the  room,  he  held  out  his 
hand  to  Hartley.  "  We  shall  be  friends,  sir?  " 

Hartley  rose  from  his  chair.  "  You  can  have  her  if 
you  can  meet  the  situation,"  he  replied,  "  but  I  don't  see 
how  you  can.  It  is  war  between  your  father  and  me, 
bitter,  relentless  war.  You  cannot  be  in  both  camps. 
In  marrying  my  daughter  you  will  be  giving  up  all  idea 
of  ever  getting  your  father's  money.  You  will  have  to 
work  to  support  your  wife,  for  the  chances  are  I  can 
do  nothing  for  you." 

"  I  expect  to  work  to  support  my  wife,  and  as  for 
my  fortune  I  have  already  given  that  up.  My  father 


62 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

and  I  are  agreed  upon  that  point,"  replied  Richard 
quietly. 

"  What !  "  cried  Hartley.  "  He  has  disinherited  you 
because  you  wanted  to  marry  my  daughter !  " 

"  No,  he  has  not  the  slightest  objection  to  that.  I 
left  him  because  we  could  not  agree  as  to  the  method  of 
conducting  business.  For  one  thing  I  was  opposed  to 
a  resolution  passed  by  the  board  in  relation  to  the  Hart 
ley  Company." 

"  You  have  quarreled  with  your  father  because  of  his 
unjust  attitude  toward  me,  and  not  because  of  Con 
stance  ?  "  exclaimed  Hartley  in  amazement. 

"  We  agreed  to  separate  because  of  certain  differences 
of  opinion  in  regard  to  business  matters,"  replied  Rich 
ard. 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  this  at  first?  "  asked 
Hartley. 

"  Why, —  I  came  to  tell  you  that  I  love  your  daugh 
ter  — " 

Hartley  took  Richard  by  the  hand.  "  You  may  think 
that  you  gave  up  fortune  and  position  for  the  sake  of 
principle,  but  you  gave  them  up  for  the  sake  of  Con 
stance.  I  like  you  none  the  less  for  that." 


CHAPTER    IX 

OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PAK.TY 

The  working  method  of  the  Haverland  Company  was 
admirably  simple,  like  that  of  the  boa-constrictor. 
Having  decided  that  "  Business  Interests "  demanded 
the  extinction  of  a  rival,  it  first  crushed  the  rival,  and 
then  swallowed  it. 

Old  Samuel  stayed  in  the  city  during  the  very  hot 
summer  to  superintend  in  person  the  work  of  crushing 
his  old  friend's  business.  He  cheerfully  put  aside  all 
vacation  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  work  in  hand,  to 
which  a  keener  zest  was  given  in  the  thought  that  he 
was  doing  his  full  duty  by  the  Company's  stockholders, 
whose  interests  naturally  took  precedence  in  his  mind  over 
all  such  minor  considerations  as  honesty,  generosity  and 
fair  play.  But  Hartley  refused  to  yield.  With  incor 
rigible  obstinacy  he  fought  on  through  one  long,  cruel 
year  and  into  a  second.  Old  Samuel  viewed  this  ob 
stinacy  on  the  part  of  Hartley  with  pained  surprise,  for 
logically  he  should  have  given  in  at  a  much  earlier  pe 
riod.  However,  discouragement  was  not  one  of  Haver- 
land's  failings.  Resistance  only  bred  in  him  greater 
determination,  and  he  was  richly  rewarded  by  seeing  the 
rival  company  grow  weaker  and  weaker  in  its  struggle 
for  existence,  until  assignment  was  written  after  the 
name  which  for  generations  had  been  a  synonym  for 
honesty  and  fair-dealing  in  the  trade. 

Possibly  to  celebrate  this  event,  or  possibly  from  ex- 

63 


64 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

uberance  of  good-fellowship  —  it  being  the  end  of  the 
fiscal  year  and  a  time  for  merry-making  —  old  Samuel 
gave  a  dinner  party.  Although  counting  noses  it  was 
a  small  dinner  party,  counting  dollars  it  was  a  very  large 
affair.  There  were  four  pairs  of  neatly  creased  trousers 
under  the  board,  and  a  hand  inserted  in  any  one  of  their 
pockets  might  have  extracted  a  fortune ;  that  is,  if  these 
gentlemen  had  carried  their  fortunes  in  their  breeches 
pockets. 

William  Craig,  with  his  shining  forehead,  and  looking 
as  trim  as  if  he  had  been  pressed  in  his  dress  clothes, 
was  there.  He  could  have  shown  by  figures  that  the 
combined  wealth  of  these  four  gentlemen,  if  changed 
into  golden  eagles  and  placed  edge  to  edge,  would  ex 
tend  from  the  North  Atlantic  coast  to  the  Mississippi 
River;  if  gathered  together  in  one  pile  it  would  require 
more  than  a  hundred  freight  cars  to  move  it;  and  if 
coined  into  silver  —  but  here  Mr.  Craig's  figures  would 
stagger  the  imagination,  or  perhaps  arouse  a  discussion 
as  to  the  rate  of  coinage. 

Although  Mr.  Haverland  himself  was  content  with  the 
simplest  fare  he  entertained  his  friends  royally,  for  the 
feast  marked  the  successful  issue  of  these  gentlemen's 
plans;  it  celebrated  the  firmer  welding  of  thoir  business 
interests,  and  was  to  inaugurate  further  schemes  in  their 
enjoyment  of  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness 
—  and  dollars. 

At  his  end  of  the  table  Samuel  Haverland  ate  spar 
ingly  of  the  choice  viands  with  as  much  apparent  relish 
as  if  they  were  sawdust  and  water,  but  he  knew  that 
Thomas  Cadwell  loved  a  good  dinner,  and  therefore  he 
had  given  strict  orders  that  the  wines  should  be  of  that 
exact  quality  of  dryness  and  of  the  exact  temperature 
demanded  by  the  palate  of  the  epicurean. 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY          65 

No  business  meeting  or  social  gathering  at  the  Haver- 
lands  was  complete  without  Silas  Cotton.  He  had  al 
ways  managed  to  make  himself  useful  to  Haverland. 
He  had  ridden  into  fortune  on  the  skirts  of  his  patron's 
coat.  To  him  Haverland  represented  goodness  and 
bounty,  the  fountain  of  prosperity,  the  source  of  wisdom 
and  wealth.  Silas  would  have  sooner  thought  of  ignor 
ing  the  archangel's  trumpet  than  of  neglecting  a  call 
to  a  Haverland  board  meeting.  And  he  never  failed  to 
accept  an  invitation  to  dine,  for  there  was  more  than 
crumbs  to  be  picked  up  at  such  a  board. 

Of  ladies,  there  was  Mrs.  Haverland,  with  a  gentle, 
kindly  face  and  a  subdued  manner;  there  was  Mrs.  Mil 
dred  Haverland,  who  had  planned  every  detail  of  the 
dinner,  and  who  looked  very  handsome  in  white  brocade 
and  pearls;  and  there  were  Mrs.  Thomas  Cadwell  and 
her  daughter  Helen,  a  young  girl  in  her  first  season, 
who  was  looking  at  the  world  through  a  pair  of  inquiring 
eyes. 

In  this  velvet  world  every  comfort  and  luxury  which 
the  mind  of  man  could  devise  waited  upon  these  eight, 
and  each  enjoyed  it  after  his  own  fashion. 

Samuel  Haverland  seemed  as  indifferent  to  the  splen 
dor  as  he  was  to  the  food.  If  the  rare  paintings  and 
costly  furniture  gave  him  pleasure  he  showed  none ;  from 
all  expression  on  his  face  his  surroundings  might  have 
been  bare  floors  and  whitewashed  walls.  If  he  had  any 
warmth  of  friendship  for  Cotton  or  for  Cadwell,  it  lay 
concealed  in  the  innermost  recesses  of  his  secretive  being. 

The  meal  was  over;  the  table-talk,  which  Haverland 
had  endured  with  his  customary  silence,  fell  into  a  lull ; 
the  ladies  went  into  the  drawing-room,  leaving  the  gen 
tlemen  to  their  cigars  and  their  conversation. 

As    the    last    gown    rustled    through    the    doorway, 


66  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Thomas  Cadwell,  with  a  sigh  of  contentment,  lit  his 
cigar.  Craig  selected  a  mild  panatella,  and  carefully 
cut  off  the  end.  Neither  Haverland  nor  Cotton  smoked, 
because  they  thought  it  injurious  and  expensive.  Craig 
smoked  thoughtfully.  Cadwell  sent  up  a  fragrant 
cloud,  enjoying  the  pleasurable  lassitude  which  follows 
a  good  dinner.  Cotton  blinked  at  the  candles  on  the 
table ;  and  Haverland,  never  at  a  loss  for  silence,  waited 
while  the  butler  filled  the  glasses  with  cordial. 

"  Since  we  last  met,"  began  the  host,  in  his  mild  man 
ner,  looking  around  the  table  at  his  guests,  "  an  event 
has  occurred,  which,  if  not  of  vast  importance  in  itself, 
is  worthy  of  note  in  the  annals  of  commerce." 

"  Hartley  &  Company  have  gone  up  the  flume,"  said 
Thomas  Cadwell. 

"  Yes,  I  refer  to  the  passing  of  the  old  firm  of  Hart 
ley,  which  a  few  days  ago  made  an  assignment." 

Silas  Cotton  grew  reminiscent  over  his  cordial. 
"  Why,  I  remember  old  Caleb  Hartley  who  founded  the 
business  —  I'm  older  than  you,  Samuel, —  and  then 
there  was  James,  the  father  of  the  present  Hartley, — 

Haverland  interrupted  his  old  friend  with  a  blandness 
which  had  the  touch  of  a  rebuke. 

"  The  firm  has  had  a  long  and  prosperous  career.  It 
was  a  landmark  for  many  years.  It  is  a  pity  that  it 
could  not  have  kept  more  in  touch  with  the  modern  spirit 
of  business,  but  its  last  head  seemed  entirely  unable  to 
grasp  the  situation,  and  the  result  was  naturally  quick 
decay." 

"  Peace  to  its  ashes,"  said  Craig,  "  and  now  what  do 
•we  get  out  of  it  ?  " 

"  We,  with  our  improved  methods,  fall  heir  to  the 
business.  The  trade  is  naturally  there,  and  I  think  with 
the  right  kind  of  treatment  it  will  increase  materially, 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY          67 

now  that  the  disturbing  element  of  competition  has  been 
removed.  Its  manager,  Mr.  Oakes,  is  a  very  good  man. 
I  think  him  reliable,  efficient  and  trustworthy.  I  hav« 
engaged  him  to  take  charge  of  one  of  our  departments 
at  a  larger  salary  than  he  has  been  receiving." 

All  the  gentlemen  expressed  their  approval  of  the  ar 
rangement,  and  their  pleasure  at  the  good  fortune  which 
had  befallen  Mr.  Oakes. 

"  Well,  that  matter  is  disposed  of,"  said  Cadwell  with 
an  air  of  satisfaction,  and  he  looked  at  Haverland  ex 
pectantly. 

"  I  want  to  impress  upon  you  all,"  said  Haverland 
softly,  "  that  it  is  a  matter  of  deep  regret  to  me  that 
James  Hartley  did  not  accept  the  offer  I  made  him.  His 
stubbornness  has  cost  us  something,  and  has  cost  him 
much." 

"  Hartley  always  was  a  pugnacious  fellow,"  remarked 
Cotton,  who  was  persistently  reminiscent.  "  Do  you  re 
member  the  time  he  blacked  your  eye  at  school  ?  " 

"  There  is  another  matter  which  claims  our  attention," 
said  Samuel  Haverland,  passing  on  quietly.  '*  It  is  im 
portant  that  the  next  Board  of  Aldermen  should  be 
friendly."  He  had  a  far-away  look  in  his  eyes  as  if  he 
were  peering  into  the  future.  "  We  have  acquired  the 
control  of  the  various  traction  companies  throughout  the 
city,  but  the  franchises  of  some  of  these  companies  will 
soon  expire.  The  disposition  of  some  members  of  the 
community  seems  towards  demanding  a  percentage  of  the 
earnings  in  return  for  these  privileges.  In  some  in 
stances  the  figures  mentioned  are  ridiculously  high.  By 
some  there  is  even  talk  of  public  ownership.  All  this 
creates  a  very  chaotic  condition  of  affairs.  We  are  per 
fectly  willing  to  pay  for  these  new  franchises,  but  it 
must  be  a  sum  which  we  consider  fair,  and  not  what  a 


68  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

public,  ignorant  of  the  real  conditions,  thinks  we  should 
pay;  not  what  a  demagogue  in  the  Legislature  declares 
we  should  be  made  to  pay.  We  can  estimate  what  our 
earnings  will  be.  We  know  how  much  stock  is  going  to 
be  issued,  and  we  object  strenuously  to  being  held  up  and 
made  to  pay  some  exorbitant  sum  which  will  run  along 
indefinitely,  and  be  a  constant  drain  upon  our  resources." 
Samuel  Haverland  looked  around  the  table.  "  You 
agree  with  me,  gentlemen,  do  you  not?  " 

Silas  Cotton  blinked  his  appreciation.  Craig  indi 
cated  his  assent  in  a  low  tone. 

"  You  will  therefore  be  relieved  to  learn,"  continued 
Mr.  Haverland,  "  that  our  friend,  Mr.  Cadwell,  who,  as 
you  all  know,  is  a  leader  in  the  political  world,  has  as 
sured  me  that  the  nominations  this  fall  will  be  such  as 
to  meet  with  our  general  approval." 

His  friends  and  co-workers  nodded  their  approval, 
while  Mr.  Cadwell  smoked  complacently. 

"  Then,  there  is  the  District  Attorney  ship,"  said  old 
Samuel.  "  In  a  community  where  we  have  such  large 
interests  at  stake  it  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest  impor 
tance  that  a  safe  man  should  be  elected  to  that  office, — 
a  man  in  whom  we  can  feel  perfect  confidence.  Again, 
our  friend  Cadwell  has  given  a  good  deal  of  time  and 
thought  to  the  subject,  and  he  tells  me  that  he  has  a 
man  in  view  whom  he  thinks  a  very  available  candidate." 

The  others  looked  at  Mr.  Cadwell,  who  said :  "  I  am 
in  favor  of  Joseph  Butterworth,  and  I'll  tell  you  why. 
Butterworth  is  a  rising  man.  It  is  not  so  much  his 
knowledge  of  law  as  his  knowledge  of  men,  and  his  ability 
to  see  things  in  the  right  light  which  contribute  to  his 
success.  We  have  retained  him  several  times  in  cases  of 
special  importance,  and  always  found  him  trustworthy. 
He  is  bound  to  get  on  anyway,  so  we  might  as  well  help 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY          69 

him  on.  I  think  if  we  all  unite  quietly  in  favoring  his 
candidacy  he  will  be  nominated  and  he  will  make  an 
ideal  candidate." 

The  others  nodded  their  assent. 

"  As  we  are  all  in  such  perfect  accord,"  said  Samuel 
Haverland,  looking  around  the  table  after  a  moment's 
pause,  "  it  seems  to  me  only  right  that  we  should  each 
contribute  something  to  the  campaign  fund." 

"  I'll  be  the  first  one  to  ante  with  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,"  said  Cad  well  cheerfully. 

Silas  Cotton's  eyes  began  to  blink  rapidly.  He  hated 
extravagance  of  all  kinds. 

"  The  sum  is  unnecessarily  large,  Mr.  Cadwell.  I 
don't  think  any  of  us  will  care  to  meet  it,"  he  said. 

"  I'll  let  it  stand.  I  never  draw  out.  You  each  put 
in  what  you  like,"  replied  Thomas  Cadwell. 

"  Ten  thousand  apiece  will  be  sufficient,  but  if  Mr. 
Cadwell  wishes  to  make  his  contribution  twenty-five  I 
see  no  objection,"  said  old  Haverland  with  his  dry  smile. 

"  Now  to  be  frank,  gentlemen,"  said  Cadwell,  after 
a  moment's  pause,  "  and  you  know  I  always  am  a  frank, 
straight-from-the-shoulder  kind  of  fellow  —  I  want  your 
support.  As  you  all  know,  the  seat  of  one  of  the  sena 
tors  from  this  state  becomes  vacant  this  year.  There  are 
a  number  of  men  out  for  the  honor,  but  I  think  Thomas 
Cadwell  will  look  just  as  well  in  the  United  States  Senate 
as  the  next  man,  and  I  announce  myself  as  a  candidate," 
and  Cadwell  replaced  his  cigar. 

Samuel  Haverland  took  up  the  word.  "  Mr.  Cadwell 
is  a  public-spirited  man;  he  stands  well  with  his  party, 
and  is  in  every  way  fitted  for  the  high  position.  I  do 
not  think  our  interests  will  suffer  if  he  gets  it." 

"  Hear!  hear!  "  cried  Cotton. 

Craig  knitted  his  brows  thoughtfully.    "  The  question 


70 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

is,  can  he  get  it?  To  which  party  do  you  belong,  Mr. 
Cadwell?" 

"  I'm  a  Republican,"  replied  Cadwell  stoutly ;  "  I 
thought  everybody  knew  that;  and  the  Legislature  will 
be  safely  Republican  next  session." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure,"  replied  Craig. 

"  I'll  get  it  all  right,"  nodded  Cadwell  emphatically ; 
"  you  leave  that  to  me." 

Haverland  spoke  in  his  pacific  tone. 

"  Naturally  we  want  the  new  senator  to  be  a  man 
friendly  to  our  interests,  and  in  that  respect  Mr.  Cad 
well  will  be  an  admirable  candidate.  His  political  ambi 
tions  are  his  personal  affair,  and  he  doubtless  knows 
what  he  wants,  and  what  he  can  get.  Of  course  he  has 
our  moral  support  and  our  cordial  wishes  for  success." 

"  I  won't  oppose  him,"  said  Craig  rather  grudgingly. 
"  I  was  only  pointing  out  the  possibility  of  failure." 

"  I've  taken  all  that  into  consideration,"  replied  Cad 
well,  somewhat  relieved ;  "  you  trust  me  for  that." 

"  Now,"  said  Samuel  Haverland,  "  that  matter  being 
settled,  I  suggest  that  the  little  contributions  which  we 
make  this  evening  for  the  local  and  state  campaigns  be 
placed  in  Mr.  Cadwell's  hands.  He  is  the  president  of 
our  Traction  Company  and  knows  its  needs ;  he  is  closely 
affiliated  with  prominent  politicians  and  knows  their 
needs,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  he  is  admirably  fitted  to 
take  charge  of  the  whole  matter." 

William  Craig  rubbed  his  chin.  "  I  rather  like  to 
follow  the  details  of  anything  I  go  into.  I  will  say 
frankly  I  do  not  care  much  for  blind  pools." 

Samuel  Haverland  replied  very  blandly :  "  I  am  a 
large  stockholder  in  the  Traction  Company.  I  am  a 
very  large  stockholder,  yet  I  am  perfectly  willing  to 
leave  this  business,  which  is  of  a  somewhat  delicate  na- 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY          71 

ture,  entirely  to  Mr.  Cadwell's  discretion.  The  money  is 
to  go  for  legitimate  expenses,  of  course,  but  I  for  one 
require  no  accounting." 

"  All  right,"  assented  Craig  in  his  quick  way ;  "  and 
now  that  these  matters  are  settled,  if  there  is  nothing 
further,  I  move  that  we  adjourn,  as  I  have  another  en 
gagement  this  evening.  I  will  drop  into  the  parlor  and 
say  good-night  to  the  ladies  in  passing,  Mr.  Haver- 
land." 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Haverland,  who,  when  business 
was  disposed  of,  was  always  ready  to  retire. 

Thomas  Cadwell  laid  down  the  stub  of  his  cigar,  arose 
with  a  flourish,  and  followed  Craig  from  the  room. 

Silas  Cotton  touched  his  old  friend's  arm.  "  As  to 
that  franchise,  Sammy,  how  much  will  it  cost  ?  " 

"  We've  got  to  have  it,  Silas,  no  matter  what  it  costs," 
was  the  quick  reply. 

Silas  said  good-night,  and  sighed,  as  if  the  burden  of 
the  increased  cost  of  living  weighed  upon  him  heavily. 

Although  the  hour  was  not  late,  the  guests  were  gone. 
Mildred  betook  herself  cheerfully  to  her  own  boudoir 
and  a  recent  novel;  Mrs.  Haverland  was  busy  in  the 
parlor  rearranging  some  stereopticon  views,  and  old 
Samuel,  in  his  library,  was  thinking  of  turning  out  the 
light  and  going  early  to  bed  to  make  sure  of  his  full 
share  of  sleep,  when  the  front  door-bell  rang,  and  a  mo 
ment  later  Richard  entered  the  room.  Two  years  had 
passed  since  their  interview  in  that  same  room.  During 
these  two  years  the  father  and  son  had  met  but  rarely. 
Each  meeting  had  been  the  same,  friendly  but  undemon 
strative.  The  son  had  been  respectful,  yet  firm  in  the 
course  which  he  had  chosen,  while  if  the  father  had 
shown  no  vexation  it  was  because  he  never  relinquished 
the  idea  of  Richard's  ultimate  surrender;  and  if  he  had 


72 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

shown  no  affection  it  was  because  the  natural  feelings  of 
the  heart  could  not  break  through  the  crust  which  had 
formed  about  it.  Yet  the  heart  underneath  that  crust 
did  beat  more  rapidly  as  old  Samuel  heard  the  cheerful: 
"  Good  evening,  father !  " 

"  Good  evening,  Richard ! "  The  greeting  was  the 
same  that  the  son  had  spoken,  and  he  held  out  his  hand, 
but  there  was  no  touch  of  warmth  in  his  voice  nor  in  his 
hand. 

"  I  have  something  to  tell  you,  sir." 

It  was  perhaps  to  disguise  the  expectancy  he  felt  that 
Samuel  Haverland  picked  up  a  railroad  report  and  ran 
his  eye  over  the  columns  of  figures. 

"  I  am  going  to  be  married,"  said  Richard. 

"  Ah !  "  was  his  father's  comment,  as  he  laid  down  the 
pamphlet,  but  whether  this  exclamation  expressed  grati 
fication  at  the  good  showing  of  the  report,  or  satisfaction 
on  receiving  the  happy  intelligence  imparted  by  his  son, 
was  not  apparent. 

"  The  date  of  the  wedding  is  set  for  three  weeks  from 
Thursday." 

"  Whom  are  you  going  to  marry  ?  " 

"  I  told  you  two  years  ago  that  I  loved  Constance 
Hartley.  I  told  you  a  year  ago  that  we  should  be  mar 
ried  as  soon  as  we  were  able  to  be.  I  have  been  doing 
very  well  of  late." 

"  I  am  very  glad  indeed  to  hear  it.  Have  you  seen 
that  your  prospective  father-in-law  has  just  gone  into 
bankruptcy  ?  " 

A  sharp  light  played  in  Richard's  eyes. 

"  That  is  the  result  of  the  cruel  policy  of  your  Com 
pany." 

"  Not  at  all,"  replied  Samuel  Haverland.     "  He  sim- 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY         73 

ply  insisted  upon  having  his  own  way.  I  explained  the 
situation  to  him  carefully  beforehand." 

"  There  are  some  matters  which  you  and  I  cannot 
discuss,"  said  Richard. 

"  And  this  matter  is  disposed  of,"  said  his  father. 
"  It  has  ceased  to  be.  Let  us  wipe  it  off  the  slate  of 
our  memories.  Do  you  want  to  give  your  bride  a  million 
dollars  as  a  wedding  present?  Come  back  and  start 
afresh.  I  have  watched  your  career  during  the  last  two 
years.  You  have  ability;  you  have  gained  in  experi 
ence."  Old  Samuel  was  almost  cordial  in  his  tone. 

It  was  Richard  who  now  appeared  the  colder  of  the 
pair. 

"  There  would  only  be  further  disagreement  between 
us." 

"  Not  necessarily,"  replied  the  father.  "  You  have 
doubtless  gained  sense  as  well  as  experience.  You  know, 
Richard,  the  tail  must  not  expect  to  wag  the  dog  until 
it  learns  how.  I'll  teach  you  how,  and  then  I  will  retire. 
I  can't  have  anyone  wag  me." 

"  I  think  that  we  shall  have  to  remain  as  we  are,  sir," 
answered  his  son,  smiling. 

"  Very  well,"  and  old  Samuel  closed  his  lips. 

"  Where  is  mother?  Has  she  retired?  "  asked  Richard 
gently. 

"  She  is  in  the  parlor,  I  believe,  rearranging  some  of 
those  stereopticon  views  which  I  gathered  during  my 
trip  through  the  Holy  Land." 

"  I  want  to  see  her.     Good  night,  sir." 

"  Good  night,  Richard,"  and  old  Samuel  held  out  his 
hand  as  usual. 

Richard  stepped  across  the  hall  to  the  parlor.  Mrs. 
Haverland  was  bending  over  her  work  in  the  corner,  and 
did  not  see  her  son  when  he  first  entered  the  room. 


74 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"Mother!" 

She  turned  quickly  with  a  little  cry  of  surprise. 
"  Why,  Richard,  I  did  not  know  that  you  were  in  the 
house." 

Her  face  flushed  with  pleasure  at  sight  of  him,  and 
he  put  his  arms  about  her  tenderly,  saying  playfully: 
"  What  are  you  up  to  here,  all  by  yourself  ?  " 

"  I  was  putting  these  pictures  in  their  places.  I  had 
been  showing  them  to  some  friends."  She  kept  her  arm 
through  his  as  they  walked  to  the  sofa,  and  sat  down. 

"  Have  you  been  in  the  house  long  ?  It  is  strange  I 
did  not  hear  you  come  in." 

"  Only  a  few  minutes.  I  have  been  in  the  other  room 
with  father.  I  have  come  to  tell  you  something  of  in 
terest.  Constance  and  I  are  going  to  be  married  at 
last." 

His  mother  drew  his  head  down  to  her  shoulder.  "  Oh, 
my  boy,  I  am  so  happy  for  you.  I  am  so  happy !  " 

When  he  looked  in  her  face  he  saw  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  knew  it  would  come  in  good  time,"  she  said  smil 
ing.  "  Are  you  quite  prosperous  ?  " 

*'  Wonderfully  so,"  he  answered  gaily. 

During  the  next  few  moments  she  held  his  hand  very 
tightly. 

"  Richard,"  she  began,  "  I  have  something  to  tell 
you." 

"  What  is  it?  "  he  asked,  as  she  seemed  to  hesitate. 

"  I  want  you  to  promise  me  to  say  '  Yes,'  beforehand." 

"  You  want  me  to  go  into  a  *  blind  pool,'  do  you?  " 
he  laughed.  "  Well,  I  will, —  with  you." 

"  I  have  a  little  piece  of  property  near  the  city.  You 
know  the  little  house  and  grounds  which  were  my  mar 
riage  portion.  I  knew  that  you  would  marry  Constance 
some  day,  and  with  that  in  view  I  have  had  the  house 


OLD  SAMUEL'S  DINNER  PARTY         75 

gone  over  from  top  to  bottom.  It  is  now  in  beautiful 
order,  and  nicely  furnished.  I  want  to  give  it  to  Con 
stance  for  a  wedding  present.  She  will  take  it,  won't 
she?  You  will  take  it,  won't  you, —  from  me?  " 

She  was  amply  paid  by  the  kiss  which  he  gave  her,  and 
his  quiet,  "  We  will  take  it,  and  be  two  of  the  happiest 
mortals  alive  in  it." 

"  It  makes  me  very  happy  to  hear  you  say  so.  There 
are  still  some  things  to  attend  to  in  regard  to  the  fur 
nishings.  I  did  not  expect  this  so  soon.  On  what  day 
are  you  to  be  married?  " 

"  Three  weeks  from  Thursday." 

"  I  will  have  things  hurried.  Everything  will  be  ready 
by  that  time." 

"  What  a  surprise  it  will  be  for  Constance,"  laughed 
Richard.  "  We  had  planned  a  flat." 

The  mother  and  son  sat  with  heads  close  together 
talking  over  the  details,  and  the  hour  was  late  when 
Richard  rose  to  go. 

"  Do  you  know  how  much  I  thank  you,  mother?  "  he 
said,  giving  her  a  hug.  She  held  him  a  little  closer  to 
her  heart  than  ever  at  parting.  "  Remember,  three 
weeks  from  Thursday,  for  the  wedding,"  he  whispered, 

"  I  don't  think  your  father  will  object  to  my  com 
ing,"  replied  his  mother. 

"  You  shall  come,"  said  Richard  firmly. 

"  Three  weeks  from  Thursday,"  repeated  his  mother. 
"  I  still  have  the  kitchenware  to  buy." 

"  Good  night,  dear,"  said  Richard,  "  and  thank  you 
again  from  Constance,  and  from  me." 


CHAPTER  X 

CADWELL,  AND   HIS   MAN 

The  next  morning,  Thomas  Cadwell,  with  a  man  close 
at  his  elbow,  brushed  rapidly  into  his  private  office.  His 
companion  was  a  particularly  well-dressed,  well-groomed 
man,  with  close-cut  black  hair,  and  a  short  black  mous 
tache.  As  the  door  swung  behind  them,  the  stylish 
young  woman  who  acted  as  Cadwell's  confidential  secre 
tary,  and  in  whose  discreet  bosom  reposed  some  of  his 
closest  business  secrets,  took  her  cue  to  leave  the  room, 
for  when  Thomas  Cadwell  and  his  man  Keating  were 
together  no  one  else  was  permitted  to  be  present,  and 
what  took  place  between  them  neither  man  nor  woman, 
of  their  own  knowledge,  could  ever  tell. 

Cadwell  sat  down,  brought  out  some  cigars,  and  when 
his  own  was  fairly  lighted  and  going  began: 

"  Now,  Keating,  let  me  have  your  report  on  our  '  City 
Fathers.'  " 

His  agent  put  a  paper  in  his  hand.  Cadwell  looked 
it  over  carefully,  while  Keating  watched  his  employer's 
face.  He  knew  every  line  of  that  face,  and  every  ex 
pression  which  came  to  it,  for  he  had  studied  it  many 
times,  but  it  was  his  habit  to  study  faces,  and  from 
force  of  habit  he  studied  it  again. 

Thomas  Cadwell  looked  up  to  ask  abruptly :  "  How 
many  of  these  men  will  go  back  to  the  Board  this  fall?  " 

"  More  than  half,  I  think." 

Cadwell  again  referred  to  the  paper.  "  Are  all  of 
76 


CADWELL  AND  HIS  MAN 77 

these  old  members  still  disposed  to  be  friendly  to  us  ?  " 

Keating  drew  his  chair  closer  to  Cadwell's  desk,  and 
spoke  in  a  low,  pleasant  voice. 

"  Not  all,  Mr.  Cadwell,  not  quite  all.  Some  of  them 
will  get  a  little  sore,  you  know.  Some  will  break  away, 
but  most  of  them  can  be  counted  on."  He  took  the 
paper  and  laid  it  on  the  slide  of  the  desk  before  him. 
"  See,  I've  marked  those  you  can  surely  count  on.  Those 
marked  with  a  cross  you  have  lent  money  to;  they  will 
be  anxious  to  further  your  interests.  Those  marked  with 
a  star  owe  their  political  life  to  you.  They  are  safe." 

Cadwell  smiled  pleasantly. 

"  I  thank  you,  Keating.  It  looks  very  satisfactory 
indeed." 

Keating  leaned  back  in  his  chair.  His  attitude  was 
that  of  careless  repose,  except  for  his  eyes,  which  were 
sharp  and  small  and  never  at  rest. 

"  Now  as  to  the  new  men  to  be  elected  this  year  ?  " 
inquired  Cadwell. 

Keating  drew  another  list  from  his  pocket. 

"  I  have  made  a  memorandum  of  the  amount  which  I 
think  you  ought  to  spend  in  each  district,"  he  said. 

"  Do  you  think  that  we  need  to  put  so  much  into 
Ryder's  district?  "  asked  Cadwell,  as  he  examined  the 
paper. 

"  I  think  we  do,"  replied  Keating  without  hesitation. 

"  There  is  a  big  normal  Republican  majority  in  that 
district,"  commented  Cadwell. 

"  They  did  not  nominate  Ryder  for  his  ability  or  his 
patriotism.  They  gave  him  the  nomination  because  they 
knew  he  had  a  barrel  behind  him.  Take  away  the  barrel 
and  he  will  land  outside  the  breastworks."  Although  in 
his  dealing  with  the  world  Keating  could  be  as  tortuous 


78 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

as  a  serpent,  he  never  hesitated  to  tell  the  truth  to  his 
employer. 

"I  defer  to  your  judgment,  Keating;  you  certainly 
know  your  business." 

Mr.  Keating  acknowledged  this  tribute  to  his  abilities 
by  a  nod. 

"  What  else  do  you  know?  "  asked  Cadwell,  in  his 
bluff,  easy  way. 

"  There  is  a  very  interesting  situation  this  year," 
Keating  continued  in  his  low  voice.  "  The  Democratic 
leader,  Doc'  Connor,  is  going  to  force  his  man  Feather- 
stone  for  District  Attorney;  this  against  the  protest  of 
a  lot  of  decent  Democrats  who  are  tired  of  Connor  and 
his  gang.  Then  there  are  a  lot  of  independent  Repub 
licans  who  would  bolt  our  candidate  if  they  could  find 
the  right  man  to  vote  for.  The  difficulty  is  for  the  dis 
satisfied  elements  to  get  together.  All  we  have  to  do 
is  to  keep  them  apart." 

"  We  are  for  the  Republicans  this  year,  and  we  think 
that  their  candidate  will  be  Joseph  Butterworth,"  said 
Cadwell  emphatically. 

"  Yes,  he  is  likely  to  be  the  candidate,  but  I  wanted 
you  to  know  the  exact  situation,"  replied  Keating. 

"  That's  right,"  assented  Cadwell.  "  I  always  want 
to  know  the  exact  situation.  You  understand  how  im 
portant  it  is  for  us  to  have  a  Prosecuting  Attorney  who 
will  be  safe.  We  have  no  use  for  any  wild-eyed  fanatic 
in  that  office,  who  will  want  to  make  a  record  for  him 
self,  and  who  won't  be  satisfied  until  he  has  turned  hell 
upside  down  trying  to  do  it.  We  want  a  man  whose 
enthusiasm  for  reform  is  tempered  by  cool  judgment. 
Butterworth  is  our  man  to  the  dot,  but  if  he  should  fail 
to  get  the  nomination,  we  must  see  that  whoever  does  get 
it  is  of  the  right  material." 


CADWELL  AND  HIS  MAN 79 

"  Well,  Mr.  Cadwell,  how  about  funds?  " 

"  We've  got  plenty  of  money." 

"  Then  we  are  all  right." 

Cadwell,  who  had  been  making  notes  on  the  paper 
with  a  lead-pencil,  looked  up  to  say : 

"  The  total  foots  up  pretty  large,  but  I  suppose  they 
need  the  money,  and  if  we  are  going  to  do  business  at 
all  it  is  cheaper  to  do  it  with  friends." 

"  I  never  did  stand  much  for  economy,"  said  Keating. 

"  Understand  me,  I  don't  mean  to  limit  you  closely. 
I  only  want  to  get  a  pretty  clear  idea  of  how  much  it  is 
going  to  cost,"  replied  Cadwell. 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,  sir.  To  the  best  of  my 
knowledge  and  belief  I  have  given  you  the  outside  fig 
ures,  but  if  I  need  any  more  I  shall  come  and  let  you 
know  at  once." 

"  That's  quite  right,  Mr.  Keating.  You  keep  me  well 
posted  about  the  campaign  as  it  progresses.  It  is  our 
duty  to  see  that  things  are  run  in  an  orderly,  business 
like  way." 

Keating  nodded  carelessly. 

"  There  is  one  thing  more  I  want  you  to  do.  A  very 
important  thing,"  said  Thomas  Cadwell  slowly. 

Joseph  Keating  was  alert. 

"  I  want  a  list  of  all  the  members  of  the  State  Legis 
lature.  I  want  to  know  all  their  occupations.  I  want 
an  estimate  of  the  present  income  of  each  individual. 
Also  a  few  remarks  as  to  the  man's  style  of  living  would 
add  to  the  value  of  your  report." 

"  Very  good ;  you  shall  have  it." 

"  And,  Keating,  if  any  of  them  have  mortgages  on 
their  homes  be  sure  that  note  is  made  of  it." 

"  I  will." 

There  was  a  pause.     Thomas  Cadwell  looked  into  the 


80  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

eye  of  his  political  purveyor.  The  look  of  cunning  on 
the  face  of  the  master  was  reflected  in  that  of  the  man. 

"  There  is  more  than  one  way  of  getting  a  thing, 
Keating." 

The  agent  smiled. 

"  I  have  got  to  a  position  where  I  can  afford  luxuries," 
continued  Cadwell  suavely.  "  I've  waited  a  long  time, 
but  I'm  going  to  have  this  one,  Joseph,  no  matter  what 
it  costs." 

Keating*s  eyes  shone  appreciatively. 

"  I'll  do  my  best,"  he  said. 

"  I  know  you  will,"  replied  Thomas  Cadwell.  "  I 
count  on  you,  and  you  won't  be  the  worse  off  for  my 
success.  Good  morning." 

Joseph  Keating  took  his  silent  departure.  The  faith 
ful  secretary  returned  to  her  desk,  and  Cadwell  threw 
himself  energetically  into  the  work  of  the  day. 


CHAPTER  XI 

EICHARD'S  WEDDING 

When  Richard  Haverland  started  out  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world  he  turned  to  the  profession  for  which 
his  father  had  had  him  carefully  trained. 

"  The  lawyers  are  getting  everything  in  sight,"  saga 
cious  old  Samuel  had  remarked.  "  I  want  you  to  make 
good  use  of  your  legal  knowledge, —  not  pleading  cases 
for  paltry  fees,  but  in  looking  after  your  own.  vast  in 
terests." 

Richard  Haverland  was  well  equipped.  What  to  many 
would  have  been  a  fortune  had  been  expended  upon  his 
education,  but  nevertheless,  if  "  the  lawyers  were  getting 
everything  in  sight,"  he  was  soon  forced  to  the  conclu 
sion  that  his  share  had  fallen  beyond  his  range  of 
vision. 

Often  during  the  first  months  of  his  struggle  it  looked 
as  though  his  father's  presage  might  come  true,  and 
that  he  would  have  to  abandon  the  law,  and  take  to  dig 
ging  in  a  ditch  for  a  livelihood.  But  there  was  the 
Haverland  blood  in  him  —  blood  which  would  not  admit 
defeat.  So  Richard  hung  on,  and  the  days  which  saw 
the  plans  of  the  indefatigable  father  soaring  to  success, 
saw  the  son  slaving  fourteen  hours  out  of  the  twenty- 
four,  and  very  glad  to  get  his  paltry  fees. 

As  it  often  takes  the  uses  of  adversity  to  bring  out  a 
man's  real  character,  so  with  Richard  Haverland ;  it  was 
this  hard,  constant,  bitter  fight  which  brought  out  the 
6  8] 


82 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

underlying,  granite-like  qualities  of  his  temper.  He  was 
not  changed  in  that  he  was  less  generous  or  less  kindly- 
hearted.  These  qualities  were  rather  quickened  than 
otherwise  by  his  contact  with  the  real  world.  If  he 
laughed  less,  it  was  because  he  had  less  provocation  and 
less  time  for  mirth,  but  when  he  did  laugh  there  was  the 
same  ring  to  his  voice.  If  his  face  was  sterner,  it  was 
because  life  was  more  serious  now,  and  his  mouth  showed 
the  Haverland  tenacity  and  determination.  He  had  also 
inherited  the  quick  mental  grasp  of  his  father ;  the  ability 
to  seize  the  salient  point,  to  concentrate  upon  it,  to  form 
quick  and  accurate  judgments  of  men.  Therefore  when 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources  his  development  was  very 
rapid. 

Thus  two  years  passed  in  daily  grind  and  toil,  petty 
disappointments  and  minor  triumphs,  then  Richard  Hav 
erland  began  to  prosper.  During  this  period  he  came  in 
closer  touch  with  the  real  world  than  in  all  the  previous 
years  of  his  life. 

In  the  world  where  old  Samuel  held  his  dominating 
sway  the  name  of  Haverland  became  more  and  more 
synonymous  with  power  and  acquisition.  In  his  different 
world  Richard  was  beginning  to  be  also  known  as  a 
man  to  be  reckoned  with.  The  success  which  began  to 
smile  upon  him  was  too  modest  to  be  spelled  with  a  capi 
tal  S,  and  in  gilt  letters.  Still  it  was  a  success  worth 
winning,  and  it  brought  him  nearer  to  his  marriage  with 
Constance  Hartley. 

When  the  day  approached,  Richard  was  so  busy  — 
having  no  one  to  assist  him  in  his  office  but  a  small 
stenographer  —  that  all  thought  of  a  wedding  j  ourney 
had  to  be  put  away  for  the  present. 

On  his  wedding-morning,  while  he  was  in  his  apart 
ment,  carefully  dressed  in  his  best  raiment,  there  came  a 


RICHARD'S  WEDDING 83 

loud  knock  at  the  door,  followed  by  an  exceedingly  large 
man  with  broad  shoulders,  who,  too,  was  very  carefully 
dressed,  and  who,  as  Best  Man,  looked  ready  to  fulfil  his 
function  to  the  letter.  The  Best  Man  was  imbued  with 
the  idea  that  the  groom,  although  the  day  before  in  full 
possession  of  all  his  faculties,  upon  this  morning  had 
become  incapable  of  caring  for  himself.  The  Best  Man 
carried  him  away  almost  bodily  to  a  little  village  some 
thirty  miles  from  town,  to  a  small,  brown  church  with 
an  ivy-vine  climbing  to  the  roof,  and  a  bell  hung  in  a 
latticed  box  no  bigger  than  a  bee-hive.  Here  they  were 
welcomed  by  a  grave-looking  sexton  with  a  limp,  white 
tie,  who  immediately  led  them  into  the  vestry.  The  Best 
Man  stood  at  the  door  where  he  could  see  the  small  audi 
torium  of  the  church,  and  at  a  given  signal  piloted  his 
charge  toward  the  altar,  timing  their  pace  to  reach  the 
altar  before  the  bride,  who  was  coming  slowly  up  the 
aisle  on  the  arm  of  a  white-haired  gentleman  whose 
broad,  ruddy  face  still  retained  the  quality  of  youth. 
Behind  them  came  a  handsome  matron  upon  the  arm  of  a 
youth  who  was  on  the  qui  vive  of  expectancy,  not  so  much 
because  of  his  interest  in  the  bride,  his  sister,  nor  in  the 
bridegroom,  nor  yet  in  the  wedding,  but  in  the  Best 
Man,  who  had  been  one  of  the  most  famous  centre 
rushes  in  the  history  of  football.  Yet  the  bride  was  not 
to  be  ignored  by  any  one  who  had  an  eye  for  beauty. 

The  ceremony  was  over  all  too  soon  to  suit  the  village 
children,  who  had  stolen  into  the  rear  of  the  church 
like  little  shadows,  where  their  heads  kept  bobbing  up 
and  down  behind  the  high  backs  of  the  pews,  much  to 
the  annoyance  of  the  grave  sexton  and  the  amusement 
of  the  Best  Man. 

As  the  party  came  down  the  aisle  the  whole  tribe  of 


84  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

boys  and  girls  scurried  before  it,  to  the  road,  where  they 
fluttered  about  like  birds  of  happy  omen. 

As  they  stood  on  the  church  porch,  an  automobile 
appeared  over  the  crest  of  a  hill,  and  came  down  rapidly 
towards  them.  In  the  car  were  a  man  and  a  woman. 
The  man  was  dark,  with  lines  of  high  living  worn  into  his 
heavy  face,  which  was  flushed  with  recent  indulgence. 
The  woman  was  blonde  and  graceful. 

"  Oh !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  See,  there  is  a  wedding ! 
What  a  pretty  sight.  Won't  you  go  by  slowly,  I  want 
to  see  the  bride." 

Charles  Cadwell  shook  his  head.  "  None  for  me.  I 
can't  pass  it  quick  enough."  And  the  automobile  went 
by  so  rapidly  that  Cherida  Delafield  only  caught  a  faint 
glimpse  of  the  bride.  But  as  she  whirled  by  in  a  cloud 
of  dust  she  did  see  the  groom,  and  under  her  veil  her 
eyes  changed  color. 

As  soon  as  the  dust  had  settled,  the  Best  Man,  who  had 
now  dwindled  to  proper  insignificance,  ran  out  to  sum 
mon  the  carriage,  and  Richard  and  his  bride  drove  away 
to  a  pleasant  cottage  with  a  bay-window  and  a  wide 
verandah. 

"  Here  we  are ! "  he  exclaimed,  helping  Constance  to 
alight.  "  It  is  not  a  large  mansion,  but  it  is  our  home." 

"  It  is  a  beautiful  home,  and  oh !  how  charmingly 
furnished !  "  cried  Constance,  as  Richard  led  her  through 
one  room  after  another.  "  Why,  there's  my  piano, — 
and  my  writing  desk, —  and  oh,  what  a  beautiful  rug  on 
the  parlor  floor  —  and  the  roses  on  the  table  —  She 
stood  quite  still  for  a  moment  looking  into  his  face. 
"  You  told  me  that  the  house  was  to  be  a  surprise,  and 
it  is.  I  never  dreamed  of  anything  like  this.  It  is  so 
exquisitely  furnished,  so  complete  in  every  detail.  It  is 


RICHARD'S  WEDDING 85 

more  beautiful  than  a  palace.  I  thought  we  were  poor, 
but  this  is  far  too  elegant  for  poverty." 

"  We  are  not  rich,  but  this  is  a  wedding  present.  There 
is  a  little  history  connected  with  it,  which  you  shall  hear 
at  supper." 

In  the  dining-room  the  table  was  laid  for  two.  On  the 
sideboard  was  a  bunch  of  wild  roses,  and  about  the  room 
were  other  reminders  of  the  fields  and  woods.  The  white 
damask  cloth  was  fringed  with  ferns,  and  a  rose  lay  at 
Constance's  plate.  They  sat  down  and  waited  upon  each 
other.  It  was  a  simple  meal;  no  servant  passed  in  and 
out,  and  what  they  ate  is  not  recorded. 

"  Now  tell  me  your  secret,"  said  Constance,  leaning 
forward  with  much  interest. 

"  The  cottage  is  not  new,"  began  Richard ;  "  it  was 
built  more  than  fifty  years  ago." 

"  Why,  Richard  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  A  verandah  has  been  added,  and  a  bay-window  and 
a  good  deal  of  fresh  paint,"  he  went  on. 

"  Did  you  buy  it,  and  have  all  this  done  ?  "  she  asked 
mystified. 

"  My  mother  once  lived  here,"  he  replied,  speaking 
quietly. 

Constance  was  struck  with  the  soft  look  in  his  eyes. 

"  Here  she  lived  as  a  young  girl.  Here  she  grew  up. 
My  father  first  saw  her  here,  and  paid  his  first  court  to 
her  more  than  thirty  years  ago.  She  has  always  kept  the 
house,  and  she  insisted  on  refurnishing  everything  for 
our  wedding-present,  and  now  it  belongs  to  you." 

Constance  came  to  his  side  of  the  table,  and  he  put  his 
arm  about  her. 

"  It  is  all  I  have,  and  it  is  yours,"  he  repeated. 

"  I  want  for  nothing  more  in  the  world,  only  you,  and 
your  love  forever,"  she  said. 


86  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Thus  they  sat  while  the  shadows  of  early  evening  fell, 
and  the  room  grew  darker.  They  arose  and  went  out  of 
the  front  door,  standing  for  a  moment  in  silence  on  the 
porch  in  the  full  beauty  of  the  evening.  Then  they  left 
the  house  and  walked  slowly  down  the  garden-path  to 
the  gate,  where  they  stood  just  as  Samuel  Haverland  had 
stood  with  his  sweetheart  many  years  before. 

The  wind  swayed  the  trees  caressingly.  One  by  one 
the  stars  came  out,  and  night  descended.  The  lovers 
turned  and  walked  into  the  house  which  was  their  home. 


CHAPTER  XII 

SICHARD  ACCEPTS  A  NOMINATION 

Richard  Haverland  was  able  to  afford  the  time  for  no 
longer  wedding  journey  than  the  daily  trip  from  coun 
try  to  town,  and  back  again  at  night  to  his  home,  where 
Constance  always  met  him  at  the  foot  of  the  little  gar 
den.  Yet  they  were  perfectly  happy  in  postponing  the 
customary  excursion  in  this  country,  or  the  peregrina 
tion  in  Europe  until  the  days  should  be  less  full  and  the 
purse  more  so. 

Their  home  was  an  attractive  place,  charmingly  fur 
nished  from  kitchen  to  drawing-room.  There  was  a  big 
Irish  maid  who  took  up  a  good  deal  of  room  in  the 
kitchen.  She  was  a  handsome,  hearty,  buxom  woman  of 
thirty  and  more,  with  a  rich  brogue  and  a  laugh  as  good- 
natured  as  the  day  was  long.  She  immediately  fell  in 
love  with  the  place,  and  with  the  master  and  mistress, 
too,  as  well  she  might,  and  she  took  Constance  into  her 
confidence  at  the  start. 

"  An'  shure,  Misses  Haviland,  it's  glad  oi  am  to  be 
wid  yez,  an'  thot  dear  man,  yur  husban'.  An'  doan't 
oi  know  a  true  gintleman  whin  oi  see  him?  Shure  an' 
it's  like  Hiven  fur  Nora  Flynn  to  be  here." 

And  it  was  a  Heaven-sent  gift  to  the  newly  married 
pair  to  have  found  Nora  Flynn,  for  she  was  a  capital 
cook  and  as  honest  and  as  true-hearted  as  she  was  good- 
tempered. 

It  may  be  well  to  set  down  here  the  fact  that  after 

87 


88 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

many  years  of  service  Miss  Flynn's  testimonial  as  to  the 
worth  of  her  employers  was  as  strong  as  upon  these  first 
days. 

A  few  days  after  the  wedding,  Richard  Haverland 
was  at  his  desk  in  the  ten  by  twelve  office.  From  the 
outer  room  came  the  click  of  a  typewriter  under  the 
supple  fingers  of  a  small  young  woman,  who  seemed 
never  to  stop  a  moment  in  her  work,  but  who  still  found 
opportunity  to  steal  occasional  glances  through  the  half- 
open  door. 

It  may  have  been  because  she  fitted  so  well  into  the 
small  office  that  little  Miss  Veronica  Hunnewell  had  been 
chosen  out  of  a  score  of  other  and  some  fairer  young 
women,  who  had  appeared  in  answer  to  an  advertisement 
for  a  competent  stenographer.  Miss  Hunnewell  was 
short  in  stature,  with  an  inclination  to  be  plump.  She 
had  a  broad  face  with  large  eyes,  and  a  quantity  of  hair 
which  she  arranged  according  to  the  latest  style,  fre 
quently  with  startling  effect.  In  this  small  body  were 
stored  inexhaustible  energy  and  good-will,  and  she  very 
soon  made  herself  indispensable  in  the  multiple  capacity 
of  amanuensis,  chief  clerk,  cashier  and  office  boy.  This 
methodical  young  person  kept  her  employer's  letters  and 
papers  in  such  beautiful  order  as  should  have  touched 
his  heart.  She  brushed  off  his  desk  every  morning,  put 
ting  it  in  apple-pie  order  for  the  day's  work.  In  her 
own  desk,  hidden  away,  were  a  copy  of  "  Lucile,"  Ten 
nyson's  "  Princess,"  and  a  volume  entitled  "  The  Love 
Letters  of  a  Fashionable  Lady,"  and  with  these  she  re 
galed  herself  during  the  luncheon  hour.  This  faithful 
clerk  now  interrupted  the  young  lawyer  to  announce  two 
callers,  giving  secret  voice  to  a  prayer  that  they  might 
prove  to  be  two  clients. 

"  My  name  is  Horner,  Colonel  Jacob  Horner,"  Miss 


RICHARD  ACCEPTS  A  NOMINATION     89 

Hunnewell  heard  one  of  them  say  in  a  loud  voice  as  the 
door  closed,  leaving  her  to  her  typewriter,  and  to  head 
off  any  possible  intrusion 

The  two  men  were  so  diametrically  opposite  that  Rich 
ard's  face  must  have  betrayed  his  surprise  as  he  asked 
them  to  be  seated.  Colonel  Horner  was  a  large  man. 
He  had  a  fat  hand,  rather  soft  and  yielding  to  the  touch, 
and  a  loud  voice,  sometimes  aggressive  in  its  tone,  some 
times  familiar.  He  was  about  fifty,  slightly  bald,  well- 
dressed,  and  ostentatiously  polite. 

"  Let  me  introduce  my  friend,  Mr.  Frank  Thayer," 
said  Horner.  "  Mr.  Thayer  is  secretary  of  the  Citizens' 
Independent  League;  he  is  the  member  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen  whose  election  created  so  much  interest  a  year 
ago.  You  know  him,  of  course;  everybody  in  town 
knows  Frank  Thayer  to-day." 

Francis  Thayer  was  slender  almost  to  frailness.  His 
figure  was  aristocratic ;  his  face  had  the  sensibility  of  the 
poet.  He  stepped  forward,  saying  with  a  voice  the 
charm  of  which  at  once  struck  his  hearer : 

"  I  think  the  colonel  exaggerates  the  notoriety  my 
election  gave  me.  I  am  very  happy  to  know  you,  Mr. 
Haverland." 

The  hand  he  gave  to  Richard  was  white  and  slender, 
but  the  clasp  was  astonishingly  hard  and  firm. 

"  Colonel  Horner  and  I  have  called  to  see  you  in  re 
gard  to  the  political  situation,"  continued  Thayer. 
"  Perhaps,  Horner,  as  you  have  all  the  details  of  the 
situation  at  your  command,  you  had  better  put  them 
before  Mr.  Haverland." 

"  It's  about  the  District  Attorneyship,"  began  Hor 
ner,  always  ready  to  talk  without  urging.  "  The  Repub 
licans  are  going  to  run  Butterworth.  You  know  Butter- 


90 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

worth,  of  course.  He  always  wears  a  smile  and  looks 
as  if  his  face  had  just  been  lubricated." 

Richard  nodded. 

"  Well,  Butterworth  is  hand-in-glove  with  Cadwell, 
the  new  Republican  boss,  that  political  upstart  who  has 
not  had  any  training  in  the  field  he  seeks  to  invade,  but 
who  has  blundered  in  with  a  dash  and  a  barrel.  We 
want  to  beat  his  man  —  a  man  whom  he  owns,  sir,  body 
and  soul.  First  we  tried  to  get  the  Democratic  leader 
to  nominate  a  man  acceptable  to  the  C.  I.  L.,  but  old 
Doc'  Connor  gave  us  the  laugh,  and  said  he  would  not 
make  any  deals  with  a  milk-and-water  crowd,  and  he 
put  up  that  disreputable  Featherstone.  I  say  disrepu 
table  advisedly,  for  cloaked  with  seeming  respectability, 
Featherstone  is  as  servile  to  the  man  who  made  him  as  a 
puppy.  Now,  sir,  what  sort  of  justice  can  the  citizens 
of  this  town  expect  with  a  Prosecuting  Attorney  from 
either  of  these  sources.  Cadwell  sits  among  his  money 
bags,  puffs  his  cigar,  and  puts  up  Butterworth  with  a 
wink.  Doc'  Connor  sits  down  in  his  saloon,  puffing  his 
cigar,  and  puts  up  Featherstone,  with  a  wink." 

Richard  admitted  that  the  chances  for  untrammeled 
justice  under  these  circumstances  were  small,  and,  looking 
at  the  pile  of  unfinished  work  on  his  desk,  devoutly 
wished  the  virtuously  indignant  colonel  would  take  some 
other  occasion  to  enlighten  him  on  the  situation. 

"  We  are  going  to  show  them,"  said  the  colonel  em 
phatically,  "  that  the  milk-and-water  crowd  is  not  to  be 
ignored;  we  are  going  to  put  a  little  whiskey  in  our 
water  this  year,  and  stir  things  up,  sir.  Things  gener 
ally  do  get  stirred  up  when  I  come  into  them."  Horner 
leaned  forward  confidentially.  "  I  happen  to  know  that 
a  lot  of  the  Republicans  are  disgusted  with  the  machine, 
and  will  vote  for  any  good  man.  Then,  many  of  the 


RICHARD  ACCEPTS  A  NOMINATION      01 

decent  Democrats  —  really,  Mr.  Haverland,  there  are  a 
large  number  of  decent  Democrats  in  this  city,  men  with 
whom  you  would  be  quite  willing  to  shake  hands  — 
they  are  tired  of  nominations  dictated  by  Doc'  Connor. 
See  the  situation  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  that  the  Independent  Citizens  might  do 
well  to  nominate  a  respectable  citizen,"  suggested  Rich 
ard. 

"  Exactly.  The  trouble  is  to  find  him,"  replied  Hor- 
ner. 

"  You  surprise  me,"  said  Richard. 

"  I  mean,  it  is  hard  to  find  the  right  man,  when  it 
comes  to  asking  him  to  give  up  his  time,  and  neglect 
his  paying  business  to  do  work  with  a  slim  chance  of 
getting  elected,"  replied  Horner. 

"  Then  if  he  should  be  elected  and  remains  true  to  his 
political  ideals  the  chances  are  he'll  never  get  another 
nomination,"  added  Thayer. 

"  Every  man  ought  to  be  willing  to  serve  when  he  is 
called,"  said  Richard  Haverland  warmly.  "  I  have  little 
patience  with  those  self-satisfied,  sleek  citizens,  who  sit 
on  their  soft  seats,  suffer  from  misgovernment,  complain 
about  it,  and  never  lift  their  fingers  to  remedy  the  evil. 
I  have  more  respect  for  the  class  of  men  you  are  fight- 
ing." 

"  So  have  I,"  said  Horner ;  "  and  Thayer  and  I 
have  been  appointed  a  committee  to  come  and  ask  you 
to  take  the  nomination  of  the  Independent  Citizens  for 
District  Attorney." 

"  You  are  not  serious,  gentlemen  ?  "  cried  Richard. 

"  Of  course  we  are  serious.    Weren't  you  ?  " 

"  But  I  can't  accept  this  nomination.  I  have  just 
begun  to  build  up  a  practice.  I  can't  leave  my  work." 

Horner  looked  around  the  small  office,  drummed  his 


93  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

finger  on  the  arm  of  his  chair,  and  said  quietly :  "  It  is 
the  duty  of  every  man  to  serve  when  he  is  called." 

"  But  why  call  me  ?  I'm  not  known.  I  never  ran  for 
office  in  my  life." 

"  That  is  just  why  we  want  you.  You'll  run  all  the 
better.  You  are  quite  well  enough  known.  You'll  be  a 
great  candidate.  You  will  get  all  the  Republican  bolt 
ers.  Then  you've  done  a  few  little  things  which  have 
put  the  rumor  in  circulation  that  you  are  a  friend  of 
the  working  classes.  That  will  get  votes  from  another 
quarter,  and  their  votes  are  just  as  good  as  anybody's." 

There  was  a  tone  in  the  colonel's  voice  which  jarred 
upon  Richard  Haverland. 

"  I  regret  that  I  cannot  accept  the  honor  which  you 
would  thrust  upon  me,"  he  replied  a  little  coldly.  "  At 
present  personal  matters  of  great  importance  claim  my 
attention." 

A  shade  of  disappointment  swept  over  Thayer's  face. 

"  So  you,  too,  are  willing  to  sit  on  a  soft  seat,  suffer 
from  misgovernment,  and  do  nothing,"  he  said. 

"  I  will  join  with  you  and  help  you  find  a  candidate," 
replied  Richard  quickly. 

"  No,"  said  Homer,  "  you're  the  one  we  want,  and  you 
ought  to  run.  You  have  put  yourself  on  record  with 
some  fine-sounding  sentiments.  Now,  if  you  don't  make 
good  we  will  be  justified  in  taking  them  for  hot  air." 

"  Why  don't  you  run,  yourself?  "  asked  Richard. 

"  Because  I'm  Jacob  Homer.  I  was  the  Republican 
leader  until  the  Cadwell-Butterworth  crowd  turned  me 
down.  Then  I  came  over  to  the  Independents.  I'm  a 
practical  politician,  but  I've  explained  my  position  to 
the  Independents  and  they  have  accepted  me  and  my 
assistance  for  what  it  is  worth, —  and  I  think  it  will  beat 
Butterworth." 


RICHARD  ACCEPTS  A  NOMINATION     93 

"  Frankly,  gentlemen,"  said  Richard,  "  is  not  the  ob 
ject  you  wish  to  attain  the  election  of  a  Democrat?  " 

"  That  may  be  the  result,  but  it  is  not  the  object," 
replied  Thayer.  "  Our  object  is  to  compel  the  nomina 
tion  of  the  right  sort  of  men.  We  can,  of  course,  teach 
the  lesson  to  but  one  party  at  a  time.  You  are  the  right 
man,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  accept." 

"  You  won't  be  called  upon  to  contribute  any  funds," 
put  in  Homer. 

Thayer  spoke  again  in  his  persuasive  way.  "  You  are 
really  with  us  in  spirit,  Mr.  Haverland.  I  hate  to  give 
up  the  idea  that  you  will  join  us.  Excuse  me  for  saying 
it,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  any  man  who  is  really  with 
us  in  spirit,  and  who  refuses  to  join  us  when  called 
upon,  is  a  coward,  and  I  know  you  are  not  that." 

Richard  flushed.  "  You  don't  know  how  much  my 
time  means  to  me  just  now ;  you  don't  know  what  a  sac 
rifice  you  are  asking." 

"  I  do  know,"  replied  Thayer  quietly ;  "  but  you  do 
not  know  how  important  it  is  to  lead  this  movement, 
forlorn  hope  though  it  may  prove  to  be,  or  you  would 
make  the  sacrifice." 

Although  Francis  Thayor  had  not  been  in  the  room 
an  hour,  Richard  Haverland  felt  sure  of  his  sincerity  and 
earnestness.  Influenced  by  the  spell  of  his  personality, 
he  exclaimed  suddenly :  "  Well,  I'll  do  it !  " 

"  Good !  "  cried  Horner,  rising  and  slapping  him  on 
the  shoulder.  "  Great  Scott,  what  a  muscle !  I  like  to 
feel  an  arm  like  that,  it  indicates  a  hustler.  You'll  make 
an  ideal  candidate.  We'll  elect  you,  Mr.  Haverland." 

"  Not  much  danger  of  that,"  commented  Richard  with 
a  slight  laugh.  "  Luckily  I  have  no  political  ambition." 

"  Nonsense !     Before  the  campaign  is  over  you  will 


94 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

be  shouting  yourself  hoarse  from  the  platform,  and  by 
election  day  you  will  be  dying  to  win." 

"  There  will  be  a  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee 
at  my  house  to-morrow  night,"  said  Thayer.  "  We  shall 
expect  to  see  you,  and  you  will  work  hard  for  the  ticket." 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can,"  replied  Richard. 

"  We'll  all  work  hard,"  exclaimed  Horner.  "  I'm  a 
practical  politician,  sir,  and  we've  got  to  fight  fire  with 
fire.  I've  gone  in  with  the  Independents  because  I  like 
decency,  and  I  could  not  get  it  with  the  other  fellows, — 
any  more.  I  like  an  up-hill  fight.  It's  play  for  me.  I 
take  these  campaigns  as  food  and  recreation." 

As  the  two  men  walked  out  of  the  door,  Richard  fol 
lowed  them  with  a  wondering  look.  "  Surely  politics 
makes  strange  bed-fellows,"  he  thought. 

"  Miss  Hunnewell,  we  shall  have  to  work  harder  than 
ever,"  he  said,  turning  to  his  stenographer  with  a  quizzi 
cal  smile.  "  I've  gone  into  politics." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Haverland,  I  know  you  will  be  elected !  I 
will  gladly  work  twice  as  hard  if  I  can  only  help  you. 
I  can't  do  very  much,  but  I  know  that  you  can't  fail," 
she  exclaimed  with  an  enthusiastic  clasping  of  the  hands. 

Richard  gave  the  young  woman  a  quick  look  of  sur 
prise. 

"  There  is  about  as  much  chance  of  my  being  elected 
as  being  hit  by  an  avalanche.  Do  you  suppose  if  there 
was  any  chance  of  it,  Horner  would  have  come  to  me? 
It  was  that  man  Thayer  who  got  me  into  this." 

Miss  Hunnewell  was  silent,  but  unconvinced.  In  her 
heart  of  hearts  she  did  not  see  how  any  one  could  fail 
to  vote  for  Richard  Haverland. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE    HARMONY    MEETING 

Doc'  Connor  had  not  obtained  his  degree  at  any  emi 
nent  school  of  medicine.  He  had  originally  been  called 
"  Dock  "  because  of  a  lucrative  connection  he  had  had 
with  the  city's  property  along  the  water  front.  With 
the  course  of  time  this  had  been  turned  into  "Z?oc'," 
possibly  because  of  the  prescriptions  for  which  his  saloon, 
the  Rushmore,  was  famous. 

The  self-anointed  ruler  of  Democracy  sat  in  a  private 
room  above  his  saloon.  There  had  been  a  day  when  he 
would  have  occupied  a  plain  wooden  chair  near  the  front 
window,  close  to  the  bar,  sunning  himself  in  the  gaze 
of  his  admiring  constituency,  but  he  had  been  quick  to 
learn  that  where  a  district  leader  gains,  a  party  boss 
loses  by  making  himself  too  approachable;  and  as  he 
rose  in  fortunes  he  became  more  retired  in  habit,  and 
was  more  frequently  in  the  handsome,  heavily  furnished 
apartment  where  only  the  elect  penetrated. 

Doc'  Connor  had  begun  life  as  a  boy  in  the  room 
downstairs.  By  industry  he  had  risen  to  be  waiter,  bar 
keeper,  cashier,  and  finally,  after  many  years  of  hard 
work,  sole  proprietor.  His  political  fortunes  had  kept 
pace  with  his  business  success.  With  a  pair  of  hard 
fists,  and  a  rough  and  ready  intellect,  he  had  made  him 
self  a  power,  and  had  held  almost  every  office  —  not  in 
the  service  of  the  city,  but  in  the  party  government, 
from  captain  of  an  election  district  to  party  boss.  Boss 

95 


96 THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Connor  gave  good  measure  over  his  bar,  just  as  he  gave 
good  measure  to  those  who  served  him  faithfully.  He 
had  stood  before  his  fellow-man  so  long  as  a  dispenser 
of  political  patronage  and  drinks,  that  he  felt  he  had 
the  same  right  to  their  suffrages  as  to  their  dimes. 

Downstairs  the  Rushmore  was  doing  a  smashing  busi 
ness.  Half-a-dozen  clean-jacketed,  white-aproned  bar 
tenders  were  so  busy  mixing  drinks,  and  passing  foaming 
schooners  of  beer  over  the  bar,  that  it  seemed  as  if  nature 
had  providently  given  them  a  dozen  hands  apiece.  Up 
stairs,  Connor's  faithful  lieutenants  came  and  went  soft- 
footed  over  the  carpet,  or  stood  about  in  groups,  smok 
ing  and  talking  earnestly,  their  faces  wearing  looks  of 
importance;  the  assurance  of  coming  victory  in  every 
attitude.  Doc'  Connor,  sitting  squarely  in  his  chair,  a 
cigar  stuck  in  the  corner  of  his  square  mouth,  listened 
to  their  reports,  and  gave  his  orders  like  a  Field  Mar 
shal.  When  left  to  himself  for  a  few  minutes  he  would 
continue  sitting  as  stolidly  as  the  Sphinx,  his  eyes  fixed 
on  a  gaudily-painted  banner  which  swung  across  the 
street,  revealing,  as  it  undulated  in  the  breeze,  the  por 
traits  of  the  candidates  of  Democracy.  Underneath  this 
line  of  equivocal  beauty  was  the  stirring  appeal: 

LET    US    MAKE   THIS    FIGHT   FOR   LIBERTY 

AS    OUR   ANCESTORS   FOUGHT   FOR   FREEDOM 

IN    THE   REVOLUTION. 

Through  accident  of  birth,  merely,  Mr.  Connor's  an 
cestors  had  not  been  present  during  that  period  of  the 
nation's  history,  but  as  they  had  always  been  ready  to 
fight  for  liberty,  or  anything  else  under  the  sun,  in  any 
clime,  this  sentiment  was  one  which  appealed  strongly  to 
their  sturdy  descendant  and  his  followers. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  97 

It  was  the  last  fighting  day  of  the  campaign,  and  the 
big  Democratic  chief  was  in  an  amiable  frame  of  mind. 
He  expressed  his  gratification  tersely  by  the  words: 
"  I've  got  that  office  cinched."  That  is,  the  office  of 
Prosecuting  Attorney  of  the  commonwealth,  for  which, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  prerogative,  he  had  nominated  one 
Edward  Featherstone,  a  lawyer  of  mediocre  ability  and 
convivial  habits,  whose  instalment  in  office  would  be  hailed 
with  delight  by  every  law-breaker  within  the  scope  of  his 
jurisdiction. 

While  Doc'  Connor  was  in  his  pleasantest  mood,  Ed. 
Featherstone  himself  hurried  into  the  room. 

"  Butterworth's  dead ! "  he  cried  excitedly. 

"  The  devil !  "  remarked  Connor. 

"  Found  dead  in  front  of  his  house.  What  do  you 
think  of  that?  " 

"  Foul  play  ?  "  asked  Connor. 

"  The  coroner  says  it  was  angina-pectoris." 

"  Ann  who?  "  asked  Connor  with  interest.  "  Did  she 
shoot  him  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  said  angina-pectoris  —  heart  disease." 

"  Well,  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  He's  dead. 
We  can't  help  it,  and  we  ain't  a-goin'  to  worry  about  it, 
not  much." 

"  It  will  narrow  the  fight  down  to  the  Independent 
candidate  and  myself,"  said  Featherstone  thoughtfully. 

"  Narrow  nothin',"  replied  Connor  with  disgust. 
"  That  young  man  ain't  got  no  more  chance  of  being 
elected  than  I  have  of  being  President,  and  I  was  born 
in  Ireland." 

"  The  election  is  Tuesday.  The  ballots  are  all  printed. 
The  Republicans  are  demoralized.  I  hear  a  rumor  that 
many  of  the  rank  and  file  are  going  to  vote  for  the  Inde 
pendent  just  to  beat  me,"  said  Featherstone  rapidly. 


98  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Say,  don't  you  worry,  Eddie  Featherstone ;  the  most 
of  'em  will  go  and  play  golf." 

Featherstone  shook  his  head. 

"  Jake  Homer  is  sore  because  the  Cadwell  crowd 
turned  him  down.  He  is  going  around  with  a  smile  a 
yard  wide.  Says  he's  not  wearing  mourning  for  Butter- 
worth,  but  that  he  is  busy  working  to  elect  the  Inde 
pendent  candidate.  Providence  is  with  him  this  time, 
he  says." 

"  Then  it's  the  first  time  Providence  and  Jake  Homer 
ever  got  into  partnership,"  said  Connor,  "  and  Provi 
dence  had  better  watch  Jake  pretty  close,  for  he  is  so 
fond  of  double-dealing  that  he  even  plays  solitaire  with 
two  packs  of  cards." 

"  He's  a  slick  one  and  no  mistake,"  said  Featherstone, 
"  and  lie's  hard  to  beat." 

"  Hard  to  beat !  We've  got  to  beat  him  !  "  cried  Con 
nor.  "  But  you'll  never  do  it,  standin'  about  here  on 
one  leg  like  a  rooster  in  a  rain-storm.  Featherstone,  you 
just  flutter  out  of  here  now,  and  hustle  for  the  Butter- 
worth  vote." 

Connor's  candidate  for  District  Attorney,  with  his 
energies  somewhat  revived  by  the  tonic  of  his  chief's 
words,  hurried  away  to  hustle  for  the  votes. 

Connor  turned  to  his  lieutenants  who  had  gathered 
around  to  hear  the  news. 

"  Sullivan,  McCarty,  you  hear  what's  happened.  It's 
up  to  you  now.  You  go  and  see  all  the  Republican 
leaders.  Don't  stop  at  the  big  men,  get  right  next  to 
the  district  captains.  Tell  them  there'll  be  the  deuce  to 
pay  if  any  but  a  regular  organization  man  gets  the  of 
fice.  Tell  them  that  Featherstone  is  Butterworth's  logi 
cal  successor  for  their  votes.  Tell  'em  to  steer  as  many 
votes  as  they  can  to  us,  and  we'll  see  that  they  are  treated 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  99 

right.  Hard  to  beat !  It's  so  easy  it  seems  cruel  to  do 
it.  Featherstone  makes  me  tired.  I'll  show  'em  who's 
hard  to  beat.  Now  you  fellows  get  out  and  work.  You 
work  night  and  day.  Don't  you  come  standin'  around 
here,  wearing  out  the  carpet  until  after  the  votes  is  in. 
We'll  win  in  a  walk,  only  don't  you  try  to  do  the  walk- 
in'.  You  keep  on  the  run  until  after  next  Tuesday." 

Each  man  in  the  room  knew  what  was  expected  of  him, 
and  each  took  up  the  work  with  alacrity. 

There  had  been  a  vigor  and  picturesqueness  about  the 
campaign  of  the  Independent  candidate  which  had  ap 
pealed  to  Connor,  but  the  sudden  shifting  of  the  scene 
disturbed  him  in  spite  of  his  outward  optimism.  He  had 
generally  been  able  to  foretell  with  astonishing  accuracy 
the  number  of  votes  the  regular  candidate  would  poll, 
and  to  go  to  bed  on  election  eve  with  a  comfortable 
knowledge  of  what  to  expect,  but  now  an  element  of 
uncertainty  had  thrust  itself  into  his  calculations. 

"  I  don't  like  it,"  he  muttered,  bringing  his  heavy  fist 
down  on  the  edge  of  the  chair.  "  I  don't  like  it,  not  for 
a  cent." 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  it?  "  asked  someone  who 
had  come  up  from  the  saloon,  passed  the  man  at  the 
door,  and  was  now  standing  quietly  at  Connor's  side. 

Mr.  Connor  looked  up  quickly,  took  his  cigar  from  his 
mouth  and  exclaimed :  "  Hello !  Joe  Keating." 

The  adaptable  Mr.  Keating  dropped  easily  into  a 
chair. 

"What  don't  you  like  about  the  banner,  Doc?"  he 
inquired. 

"  The  banner  is  all  right,"  answered  Connor. 
"  What'll  you  have  to  drink  ?  "  Reaching  out  his  arm 
he  pressed  an  electric  button. 


100  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Keating,  always  able  to  make  himself  at  home,  drew 
out  a  silver  cigarette-case. 

"  Bring  us  a  bottle,"  commanded  Connor  as  the 
waiter  appeared. 

Keating  put  out  a  restraining  hand.  "  No  wine  for 
me  at  this  hour,  Mr.  Connor.  I'll  take  a  dry  Martini." 

"  Then  make  mine  rye,  and  hurry  them  orders,"  com 
manded  the  proprietor. 

Keating  rolled  a  cigarette  between  his  palms,  lit  it 
with  a  wax  taper,  and  began  to  blow  a  cloud  of  smoke 
toward  the  ceiling. 

Connor  watched  Lim  for  a  time  in  silence,  coughed 
onco  or  twice,  and  then  burst  out :  "  Say,  Keating, 
throw  that  dinky  paper  thing  away  and  have  a  real  cigar 
on  me." 

Keating  smiled,  tossed  the  cigarette  away,  but  declined 
the  proffered  Havana. 

"  I'd  like  to  say  a  few  words  to  you  in  private,"  he 
said. 

Connor  got  up,  and  led  the  way  to  a  small  adjoining 
room.  Here  they  were  soon  followed  by  the  waiter  with 
the  drinks. 

Keating  sipped  his  cocktail  in  meditation. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Doc'  ?  "  he  inquired  again. 

Connor  tossed  off  his  whiskey,  and  put  his  glass  down 
with  a  thump. 

"  Nothing's  the  matter." 

"  Say,  Doc'  Connor,  are  you  going  to  lose  this  elec 
tion  ?  "  asked  Keating,  looking  at  him  sharply. 

"  No,  I'm  going  to  win  it." 

"  Young  Haverland  is  making  a  wonderful  cam 
paign,"  remarked  Keating  coolly,  taking  another  cigar 
ette  from  his  case. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  101 

"  Is  the  old  man  behind  the  young  one  ?  "  asked  Con 
nor  suddenly. 

Keating  shook  his  head. 

"  Sure  not?  "  and  the  boss  leaned  over  the  table. 

"  I'll  give  you  my  word  he  is  not." 

Although  Mr.  Keating  himself  was  frequently  en 
gaged  in  questionable  undertakings,  whenever  he  pledged 
his  word  it  was  never  questioned. 

Doc'  Connor  was  satisfied.  A  smile  played  in  the  cor 
ners  of  his  eyes  as  he  said :  "  Don't  you  bet  on  the 
young  one,  then." 

"  I  won't,"  said  Keating. 

"  I'm  going  to  win  this  time,"  said  Connor. 

"  I  think  you  will,"  said  Keating,  as  he  passed  a  large 
roll  of  bills  across  the  table. 

Connor  did  not  seem  to  see  it. 

"  I  thought  you  were  for  the  Republican,"  was  the 
only  comment  he  made. 

"  He's  dead,"  said  Keating. 

"  I  know  that." 

Well,  this   is  our  contribution  to  your  campaign 
fund." 

"  You  are  a  bit  late,"  remarked  Connor. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  replied  Keating  coolly ;  "  you 
haven't  made  the  distribution  to  the  district  leaders  yet. 
When  you  count  that  roll  you  will  say  that  we  are  just 
in  time." 

With  a  show  of  indifference  Connor  removed  the  rub 
ber  band  and  ran  his  fingers  over  the  crisp  notes. 

"  You're  not  so  bad,"  he  said  with  a  quiet  laugh,  pock 
eting  the  money. 

Keating  rose  to  go.     Connor  looked  at  him  fixedly. 

44 1  was  looking  for  you  to  back  young  Haverland, 
now  Butterworth's  out  of  the  running." 


102  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  It  is  this  way,  Doc'  Connor,"  said  Keating  frankly ; 
"  with  Featherstone  we  know  just  what  to  expect.  We 
know  we'll  have  to  pay,  and  we  know  whom  we'll  have 
to  pay,  and  we  know  you'll  be  square  with  us.  With  the 
other  one  it  is  different.  He  may  be  a  branch  of  a  family 
we  know,  but  he  is  a  contrary  limb  and  there's  no  bending 
him.  We're  taking  no  risks." 

At  times  Keating,  abandoned  double-dealer  that  he 
was,  talked  straight  out.  Connor  understood  him. 

"  I'll  be  square,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  Good  day.  In  future,  if  I  have  any  business  to 
transact,  I'll  come  to  you,"  said  Keating. 

Connor,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  strolled  out  to 
the  main  room  with  his  departing  guest,  saying :  "  I 
want  you  to  meet  Doyle." 

"  It  used  to  be  McGarry,"  remarked  Keating. 

"  We're  sending  him  to  Congress,"  replied  Connor. 
"  Doyle's  to  be  trusted.  What  he  says  I'll  stand  for." 
And  with  a  nod  of  his  head  he  summoned  his  lieutenant 
to  his  side. 

"  Doyle,  this  is  Mr.  Keating.  I  want  you  to  know 
him  well." 

The  two  men  shook  hands  understandingly,  and  walked 
downstairs  together  towards  the  bar. 

"Well,  Billy,  what's  doing?"  asked  Connor,  ap 
proaching  a  group  of  his  friends  by  the  window. 

"  There's  going  to  be  a  mass  meeting  of  Independent 
Citizens  to-night  at  Harmony  Hall." 

Connor  swore.     "  Well,  of  all  the  nerve,"  he  added. 

"  Admission  is  by  ticket  only.  I  got  two  hundred  of 
'em  from  the  Independent  manager;  told  him  I  was  an 
Independent  Cit.  and  wanted  these  for  my  intimate 
friends.  I've  given  them  out,  and  they'll  be  all  used," 
said  William  Finn,  ingenuously. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  103 

"  Tell  them  to  get  there  early  and  get  the  best  seats," 
said  Connor. 

That  evening  Mr.  Connor's  diamond  shirt-studs  helped 
to  illuminate  the  entrance  to  the  Rushmore,  while  this 
amiable  monarch  permitted  the  light  of  his  own  counte 
nance,  in  the  absence  of  the  sun,  to  shine  upon  his  fellow- 
man.  He  had  feared  that  there  was  a  large  campaign 
fund  behind  Richard  Haverland,  but  Keating's  assurance 
and  fat  contribution  had  relieved  his  mind.  The  im 
pending  meeting  at  Harmony  Hall  tickled  his  sense  of 
humor.  "  Harmony  h  — !  "  he  muttered,  and  smiled 
knowingly  at  the  broad  banner  which  in  the  name  of 
Democracy  swelled  in  the  evening  breeze.  The  candi 
dates  whose  patriotism  and  devotion  to  principle  and  to 
office  were  there  extolled  in  glowing  colors,  were  all  his 
men,  and  he  felt  at  peace  with  the  world. 

A  large  automobile  turned  the  corner  and  made  its 
way  slowly  through  the  crowded  street.  Connor  bristled 
like  a  shepherd-dog  whose  fold  is  threatened  by  a  wolf. 
His  jaw  set  itself  sternly,  and  his  eyes  glittered  as  he 
looked  at  the  three  audacious  men  in  the  car.  The  atten 
tion  of  the  three  was  immediately  fastened  upon  him. 
This  was  natural  and  not  in  the  least  disconcerting;  he 
had  long  since  become  used  to  his  own  celebrity,  and 
returned  their  gaze,  while  he  took  in  every  detail  of  the 
candidate. 

Connor  took  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  was  a  fair- 
minded  man.  When  he  had  looked  the  candidate  over 
carefully  he  turned  to  Billy  Finn. 

"  He's  all  there.  He's  a  thoroughbred.  I  don't  care 
what  ticket  he's  on ;  I'd  say  it  if  it  was  the  Prohibition." 

"  Terry  Dunbar  knows  him,"  said  Finn ;  "  he  taught 
him  how  to  hold  up  his  dukes,  and  he  says  he's  a  good 
one." 


104 


"  He  is  all  right,"  repeated  Connor,  "  and  now  we'll 
teach  him  something  about  politics,  and  his  education 
will  be  gettin'  along  fine." 

Connor  did  not  see  Thayer,  slender,  refined  Thayer, 
with  his  unassuming  manner.  For  Horner,  he  had  noth 
ing  but  contempt.  Horner  had  been  "  regular,"  and 
when  he  had  lost  the  leadership,  had  turned  his  coat  and 
gone  over  to  the  enemy.  Connor  had  known  him  well  as 
the  Republican  boss  and  had  even  been  associated  with 
him  in  transactions  for  their  mutual  good;  but  now  his 
lip  curled  with  unaffected  scorn,  and  he  looked  away 
when  the  colonel  bowed.  He  had  no  use  for  Horner. 

"  There  you  go  buttin'  in  where  you  don't  belong. 
We'll  give  you  a  warm  reception.  There'll  be  a  hot  time 
in  the  old  hall  to-night,"  muttered  Connor. 

"  There  is  the  great  and  only  Connor,"  remarked  the 
colonel  airily,  "  whom  you,  Mr.  Haverland,  have  got  to 
beat  next  Tuesday." 

"What  about  Featherstone  ?  "  asked  Haverland. 

"  Oh,  he  does  not  count.  Featherstone  is  such  a 
light-weight  that  Connor  carries  him  around  in  his 
pocket  and  doesn't  feel  it.  You  strike  at  Connor  every 
time." 

In  front  of  the  hall  a  band  was  alternately  playing 
patriotic  and  popular  airs,  to  an  audience  of  small  boys, 
who  made  the  party  welcome  with  yells  and  cat-calls 
which  pierced  the  din  of  the  music. 

Horner's  spirits  rose  higher  as  he  entered  the  audi 
torium  and  could  not  see  a  vacant  seat. 

"  I  planned  a  stupendous  meeting,  and  we've  got  it. 
Connor  may  think  he  is  strong  with  the  people,  but  we 
are  going  to  touch  them  to-night,"  he  said,  taking  his 
seat  at  the  back  of  the  platform  after  introducing  the 
first  speaker,  Francis  Thayer. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  105 

The  applause  which  greeted  the  first  speaker  was 
boisterously  loud,  and  was  carried  to  suspicious  length, 
but  Horner  was  too  pleased  with  his  seeming  success  to 
notice  that.  "  We've  got  them  from  the  start,"  he  whis 
pered  to  Richard  Haverland. 

Delicate  features  and  graceful  bearing  marked  Thay- 
er  as  the  refined  gentleman;  he  made  no  attempt  to 
conceal  it  in  order  to  coin  popularity,  and  he  now 
stepped  forward,  as  carefully  dressed  and  with  as  pol 
ished  a  manner  as  if  he  were  to  speak  to  the  most  cul 
tured  audience  in  the  city.  The  applause  was  not  all 
fictitious.  Frank  Thayer  was  not  unknown,  and  was 
liked  by  many  for  the  very  reason  that  his  coat  was  of 
fine  material,  and  that,  although  he  was  an  aristocrat  in 
appearance,  he  was  a  democrat  in  spirit.  Indeed,  his 
election  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen  had  been  due  to  the 
votes  of  men  of  humble  station  and  plain  garb,  who  had 
an  intuitive  feeling  that  this  was  a  man  whom  they  could 
trust.  So  the  two  factions  in  the  hall  vied  with  each 
other  to  give  Thayer  a  welcome  which  sent  the  dust  roll 
ing  to  the  ceiling. 

As  soon  as  the  tumult  had  subsided,  he  began  in  musi 
cal,  well-measured  tones. 

"  It  is  a  pleasure,  as  well  as  an  honor,  to  be  called 
upon  to  address  so  large  and  representative  an  audience 
from  this  district.  I  — " 

As  if  a  tornado  had  burst  there  arose  from  the  centre 
of  the  hall  a  loud  shout  of  derision.  For  an  instant 
Thayer  was  taken  off  his  guard  and  stopped  short. 
There  was  a  silence  broken  by  murmurs  of  surprise  and 
indignation. 

Thayer  resumed.  "  I  do  not  need  to  tell  you,  the 
intelligent  voters  who  have  followed  every  detail  of  the 


106  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

exciting  and  important  campaign  which  is  now  drawing 
to  a  close  — " 

Again  the  yell  arose,  louder  than  before,  drowning 
the  speaker  and  penetrating  to  the  street,  to  be  re-echoed 
by  shrill-throated  small  boys. 

Colonel  Horner  sprang  to  his  feet  in  a  white  heat  of 
anger.  "  This  is  an  outrage.  Where  are  the  police  who 
should  be  on  duty  in  this  hall  ?  " 

Thayer  showed  no  sign  of  annoyance,  and  waited  pa 
tiently  for  the  disturbance  to  cease. 

"  Cut  that !  Tell  us  what  you're  here  for,  anyway ! 
You're  a  dude !  Come  off  that  platform !  Say,  give  us 
the  candidate ;  we  are  all  ready  for  him !  " 

An  egg  struck  Thayer  on  the  cheek.  Amid  shouts  of 
derision,  he  wiped  it  with  his  handkerchief.  "  If  that 
was  done  purposely,  it  was  a  good  shot ;  if  it  was  an  acci 
dent,  it  was  extremely  careless,"  was  his  only  comment. 

Under  cover  of  the  laugh  that  followed,  Thayer  re 
sumed  :  "  The  campaign  drawing  to  a  close,  accom 
panied  by  little  incidents  of  — ! 

"  The  candidate !  The  candidate !  "  was  the  repeated 
cry.  "  We  have  something  for  him." 

The  "  Independent  Citizens  "  furnished  by  Billy  Finn 
had  at  first  taken  the  meeting  by  surprise,  but  now  the 
other  part  of  the  audience  began  to  take  a  hand  and  to 
express  their  disapproval  of  the  interruptions.  Thayer 
could  not  be  heard  over  the  front  row.  Two  men  began 
to  clamber  to  the  platform  with  the  evident  purpose  of 
dragging  the  orator  from  the  stage.  In  an  instant 
Richard  Haverland  came  forward  and  pushed  the  intru 
ders  back  to  the  aisle  below.  "  I  am  the  candidate,"  he 
declared,  "  and  I  will  speak  when  Mr.  Thayer  has  fin 
ished.  Are  there  no  policemen  in  this  hall?  " 

By  this  time  the  uproar  swallowed  all  other  sounds. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  107 

Several  police  officers  hurried  down  the  aisles  to  restore 
order.  Richard  felt  something  brush  against  his  hand. 
He  looked  down,  and  to  his  great  surprise  saw  Miss 
Hunnewell.  "  What  is  it?  "  he  asked. 

"  A  megaphone ;  my  little  brother  brought  it  from 
the  gallery.  I  was  up  there,  too." 

He  put  it  to  his  mouth.  "  There  are  hundreds  in  this 
hall  who  wish  to  hear  us.  We  intend  that  they  shall 
hear  us.  We  are  not  to  be  intimidated  — " 

There  was  a  burst  of  honest  applause.  "  Go  on  with 
the  meeting,"  cried  some.  "  Hurrah  for  Thayer ;  let 
him  talk!  Throw  out  the  Connor  gang!  Hurrah  for 
Haverland!" 

"  We  come  here  to-night,  law-abiding  citizens,  to  pre 
sent  our  side  of  a  political  argument.  We  propose  to 
do  this  peacefully.  Sergeant,  why  don't  your  men  use 
their  sticks  a  little?  Why  do  you  allow  that  man  to 
stand  shouting  in  the  aisle?  Now,  Thayer,  will  you 
proceed?  Here,  take  this  megaphone." 

Thayer  took  the  megaphone  and  stepped  forward  for 
the  third  time. 

"  Low  ball ! "  cried  a  man,  throwing  a  potato  at  him. 
It  passed  harmlessly  by.  "  Striker's  out !  "  yelled  an 
other. 

— "  This  picturesque  and  exciting  campaign  which  is 
drawing  so  vivaciously  to  a  close  — "  said  Thayer,  taking 
up  the  thread  of  his  opening.  The  entire  front  row  rose 
as  one  man  and  made  a  rush  for  the  platform.  Two 
policemen  made  valiant  efforts  to  turn  them  back,  but 
were  as  ineffectual  as  if  they  were  breasting  a  swollen 
river. 

Richard  Haverland  sprang  to  Thayer's  side.  The 
crowd  pressed  so  close  about  them  that  few  blows  were 


108  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

struck  on  either  side.  By  the  mere  weight  of  numbers 
the  two  men  were  borne  to  the  floor. 

"  Foul ! "  cried  a  man,  springing  lightly  to  the  plat 
form  and  beginning  to  push  his  way  quickly  through  the 
crowd.  He  was  a  square-shouldered  man  and  had  an 
effective  way  of  brushing  others  aside.  In  a  moment  he 
was  in  the  centre  of  the  group,  and  Richard  Haverland 
was  on  his  feet.  Thayer  was  also  helped  up;  he  was 
somewhat  out  of  breath,  having  been  underneath. 

"  Thank  you,  Terry  Dunbar,"  said  Richard. 

Terry  merely  nodded.  "  Now,  you  fellers !  "  he  called 
out,  "  we'll  take  a  hand  in  this ;  give  these  gentlemen 
room ! " 

Those  who  had  planned  the  attack  stood  irresolute  for 
a  moment.  "  We're  in  this,"  cried  Terry  cheerfully, 
striking  out  right  and  left.  "  Now  you  fellers  just 
waltz  off  the  stage." 

Besides  being  well  known  and  respected  in  his  profes 
sion,  Mr.  Dunbar  had  a  convincing  way  of  enforcing 
an  argument,  and  the  platform  was  cleared. 

In  the  centre  of  the  hall  some  of  Connor's  friends, 
compact  and  organized,  were  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight  with 
the  unorganized  adherents  of  the  meeting.  Colonel  Hor- 
ner,  who  had  been  missing  for  some  time,  now  entered 
through  the  main  doorway  accompanied  by  a  force  of 
policemen.  At  the  first  outbreak  he  had  hurried  a  call 
for  the  reserves.  Richard  Haverland,  wiping  the  dust 
from  his  coat,  still  stood  by  Thayer.  "  Speak  to  them, 
Thayer,"  he  exclaimed.  "  They  are  going  out.  Hold 
the  meeting  together  a  little  longer.  The  reserves  are 
here,  and  this  little  row  will  soon  be  over." 

"  There'll  be  no  meeting  in  this  hall  to-night,"  said  a 
burly  sergeant  with  a  swing  of  his  club. 


THE  HARMONY  MEETING  109 

"Why  not?  Can't  your  men  keep  order?"  cried 
Richard  quickly. 

"  Sure,  and  we  can  do  that,"  replied  the  officer,  point 
ing  with  his  long  night-stick  to  the  crowd  which  was 
being  hustled  from  the  building  by  the  policemen. 
"  Sure,  we  can  do  that,  once  we  get  the  hall  cleared  out." 

"  Nonsense !  Let  those  remain  who  wish  to  listen  to 
the  speeches.  You  can  keep  order  now.  If  not,  Mr. 
Dunbar  can.  Thank  you  again,  Terry,  for  your  back 
ing,"  and  he  held  out  his  hand. 

"  Youse  reformers  have  done  enough,  and  now  ye'd 
better  git  out  of  this,"  said  the  sergeant. 

"  I  guess  we  will  have  to,  now  that  you  have  got  rid 
of  all  our  audience,"  said  Richard.  Then,  as  Horner 
came  up,  he  burst  into  a  laugh.  '*  You  managed  to  have 
a  stupendous  meeting,  Colonel  Horner.  They  did  not 
seem  to  want  to  hear  us  speak,  but  I  bet  they  would  have 
stayed  to  see  Terry  box." 

Horner  was  rubbing  his  hands.  "  It  was  a  success.  I 
noticed  the  Connor  gang  getting  the  worst  of  it  in  the 
fight  all  over  the  hall.  We  have  not  lost  any  votes  to 
night." 

"  Colonel  Horner,  shake  hands  with  my  friend,  Mr. 
Dunbar,"  said  Richard. 

"  Glad  to  meet  yer,"  said  Terry,  in  a  friendly  man 
ner.  "  I've  heard  your  name  mentioned.  I  guess 
y'  know  me,  too ;  I'm  pretty  well  known  about  here." 

Colonel  Horner  smiled  affably,  and  put  his  flabby 
palm  in  Terry's  hard  hand. 

"  I  guess  we  put  some  ov  der  voters  on  the  blink,  all 
right,"  said  Terry,  cheerfully.  "  They  won't  see  where 
to  make  the  cross  on  th'  ballots." 

Colonel  Horner  smiled  again.  "  Come,  Haverland," 
he  said  quickly,  "  they  are  turning  off  the  lights.  We 


110  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

must  be  off.  We  have  two  more  meetings  to-night,  and 
we  are  half  an  hour  behind  our  schedule." 

"  Thayer,"  laughed  the  candidate,  "  have  you  room 
in  your  automobile  for  my  friend  Terry  Dunbar?  The 
colonel  has  slated  us  for  two  more  meetings." 

The  party  rolled  off  in  Thayer's  car,  while  over  at  the 
Rushmore  Doc'  Connor  was  being  entertained  by  a  hu 
morous  account  of  the  meeting  in  Harmony  Hall. 

"  We  broke  up  the  meeting,  Doc',  all  right.  The 
Goo-Goos  didn't  have  a  word  to  say  for  'emselves,"  said 
Finn,  the  humorous  raconteur. 

"  Where  did  you  get  that  black  eye  ?  "  asked  his  chief. 

"  The  candidate  handed  it  to  me  on  the  platform," 
replied  Finn  sadly. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE    DISTRICT   ATTORNEY 

On  election  night,  when  the  shouting  was  all  over, 
and  the  votes  were  all  in,  the  Democratic  leader  sat  in 
his  big  leather  chair  casting  his  political  horoscope. 
Around  him  had  gathered  the  clans,  all  prepared  to 
celebrate  the  victory.  Everything  was  free  at  the  Rush- 
more  that  night,  there  was  no  excuse  for  any  of  the 
faithful  going  to  bed  sober,  and  every  one  of  the  hench 
men  who  had  shouted  himself  hoarse  under  his  chief's 
banner,  was  ready  to  drink  his  health  as  long  as  there 
was  a  passage  in  his  throat. 

Their  capacity  for  rejoicing  was  large,  and  their 
thirst  was  deep,  but  in  spite  of  the  various  kinds  of 
courage  which  came  up  like  magic  from  below,  a  sicken 
ing  thread  of  doubt  soon  began  to  run  among  them  like 
the  serpent  which  poisons  the  cup. 

The  trouble  did  not  lie  with  the  Aldermen,  for  of 
City  Fathers'  seats  they  had  captured  their  full  share, 
and  in  the  Legislature  as  well  they  were  to  be  appro 
priately  represented;  but  when  it  came  to  the  office  of 
District  Attorney  the  returns  were  of  such  complexion 
as  to  cause  these  worthy  citizens  grave  uneasiness  as  to 
the  stability  of  the  state. 

The  more  discouraging  these  returns  the  harder  be 
came  the  lines  in  Doc'  Connor's  face. 

"  Wait,"  he  repeated  doggedly,  "  the  count  ain't  all 
in  yet.  These  first  returns  are  just  to  '  jolly  '  that  *  Ping- 
Ill 


118  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Pong  Push.'  Why,  I  can't  lose.  I  was  in  politics  when 
that  kid  was  straddling  his  father's  cane." 

To  cheer  his  heart,  Connor's  own  election  district  sent 
in  the  remarkable  record  of  295  votes  for  Featherstone 
and  9  for  his  opponent. 

"  How  did  those  nine  votes  get  in  ?  "  demanded  the 
chief  grimly. 

In  spite  of  the  quantity  of  "  Imperial  Brut "  in  which 
Billy  Finn  had  bathed  his  own  flagging  spirits,  he  be 
came  more  downcast  as  the  dawn  appeared.  Finn  had  a 
keen  sense  for  the  political  barometer;  he  had  felt  it 
falling  all  night,  and  now  he  saw  defeat  in  spite  of  the 
attitude  of  his  chief,  who  still  sat  at  his  post  figuring 
over  the  bits  of  thin  tissue  paper,  his  hat  hard  down  on 
the  back  of  his  head,  as  determined  and  unyielding  as 
ever. 

The  campaign  quarters  were  nearly  empty.  Most  of 
the  lieutenants  had  gone  home  to  bed,  tired  out,  or 
otherwise  in  sore  need  of  rest.  A  fetid  odor  of  dead 
cigar  smoke  hung  over  the  close  room  and  a  disorderly 
array  of  empty  champagne  bottles  lined  the  tables,  the 
"  dead  soldiers  "  of  a  lively  and  fatal  campaign. 

"  There  ain't  any  use  our  sitting  up  all  day,"  said 
Finn ;  "  the  returns  are  all  in,  and  we've  got  to  wait  for 
the  official  count  to  find  out  who's  elected  District  At 
torney." 

Connor  looked  at  him  sternly.  "  I  don't  need  to  wait 
for  any  official  count  to  tell  me  who's  elected  in  this 
town.  Featherstone's  elected.  I  promised  Eddie  Feath 
erstone  that  he  should  be  next  Attorney,  and  I  always 
keep  my  word.  Boys ! "  he  cried  to  the  few  who  re 
mained,  "  take  a  last  drink  to  the  very  good  health  of 
the  good  fellow,  Edward  Featherstone,  and  then  go  and 
get  your  beauty  sleep." 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY  113 

The  toast  was  drunk  standing,  and  the  patriots  filed 
out  into  the  dull  gray  morning,  leaving  the  club-rooms 
to  the  brooms  of  the  char- women,  who  swept  out  the 
cigar-stubs  and  sent  the  "  dead  soldiers  "  rattling  to  their 
graves. 

The  fight  for  District  Attorney  was  so  close  that  a 
handful  of  votes  either  way  would  have  turned  the  scale. 

Until  the  result  of  the  official  count  was  known,  Con 
nor  never  faltered ;  he  loudly  claimed  the  election  of  his 
favorite,  though  some  of  his  partisans  lost  weight  under 
the  tension,  for  they  had  set  more  than  their  hearts  on 
Featherstone.  The  Doc'  veiled  his  anxiety  under  the 
stolidity  which  had  served  him  all  through  life,  but  he 
lost  his  habitual  self-control  when  the  official  count  de 
clared  Richard  Haverland  elected  by  a  slight  plurality. 

"  Them  figures  lie ! "  he  shouted.  "  Here's  my  own 
*  official '  count  kept  as  clean  as  a  whistle.  It  shows 
Featherstone  is  elected  by  a  clear  491  votes ! " 

"  The  official  count  threw  those  491  votes  clear  out. 
They  threw  out  all  the  votes  from  the  Fifth  and  two 
other  election  districts,"  explained  Finn. 

"  The  Fifth  is  my  own  election  district,  right  where 
I've  lived  all  my  life ! "  bellowed  Connor. 

"  And  I  am  captain  of  it,"  said  Finn  sadly. 

There  was  a  silence.  If  anyone  drew  an  inference 
from  these  coincidences,  he  was  too  considerate  to  men 
tion  it. 

"  My  own  election  district,"  repeated  Connor,  looking 
about  him  sternly,  like  a  monarch  whose  royal  will  to  do 
what  he  chose  with  his  own  had  been  thwarted,  "  and  all 
those  votes  were  mine.  They  are  working  a  fraud  on 
me.  I  won't  stand  for  it." 

"  I  knowed  Haverland  would  win,"  said  the  melan 
choly  Finn. 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


"  You  knozved  Haverland  would  win,"  mimicked  Con 
nor  savagely.  "  Since  when  did  you  know  all  that?  " 

"  When  he  handed  me  that  black  eye  down  at  Har 
mony  Hall,  I  knowcd  then  he  was  a  winner." 

"  He  ain't  won,"  said  Connor  angrily.  "  The  will  of 
the  people  is  violated.  The  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  is  threatened.  Democracy  is  in  danger,  and  I 
won't  stand  for  it  !  " 

This  patriotic  outburst  was  received  with  great  favor 
by  his  adherents,  but  his  protest  did  not  avail  with  the 
Election  Board,  for  a  certificate  of  election  was  issued  to 
Richard  Haverland. 

In  his  secret  heart  Richard  had  never  expected  to  be 
elected.  He  had  thrown  himself  into  the  campaign  with 
all  his  might,  and  even  when  the  election  turned  out  to  be 
so  close  that  only  an  official  count  could  determine  the 
result,  with  both  sides  claiming  the  victory,  he  went  to 
his  office  regularly,  and  set  industriously  to  work  to  make 
up  for  lost  time. 

It  was  Frank  Thayer  who  first  brought  to  him  the 
news  of  his  election.  He  found  him  at  his  desk  in  the 
evening,  laboring  as  if  he  had  never  heard  of  politics. 

Thayer  sat  down  rather  languidly.  His  face  was  paler 
than  usual,  for  the  night  work  of  the  campaign  had 
been  a  heavy  strain  upon  him.  His  eyes  were  uncom 
monly  bright  as  he  said  :  "  I  did  not  think  we  would 
do  it,  Haverland,  but  we  have  won." 

Richard  turned  in  his  chair  with  a  quick  flush  of  sur 
prise.  Beyond  this  he  took  the  matter  very  coolly. 

"  It's  a  surprise  to  me,  Thayer,  I  admit,  for  I  never 
expected  it,  even  after  Butterworth's  sudden  death.  Of 
course  it  is  Butterworth's  death  which  has  thrown  me 
into  office." 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY  115 

"  Haverland,"  Thayer  broke  out  quickly,  "  I  want  to 
say  one  thing  to  you  now,  while  we  are  alone.  It  is 
about  Colonel  Horner.  Our  being  together  in  this  work 
may  have  been  a  surprise  to  you.  I  am  something  of  an 
opportunist.  Horner  is  a  good  worker  and  is  useful. 
As  long  as  I  can  see  him,  I  trust  him.  He  did  not  ex 
pect  your  election,  but  now  that  you  are  elected  I  feel 
sure  that  I  do  not  misjudge  the  man  in  saying  he  will 
claim  the  lion's  share  of  the  credit.  Your  office  is  one 
of  the  greatest  responsibility."  Thayer  spoke  very 
slowly.  "  Well,  Homer's  ideals  are  different  from  yours 
and  mine,  and  I  want  to  put  you  on  your  guard  a  little. 
I  hope  you  do  not  mind  my  taking  the  liberty." 

Richard  Haverland  took  Frank  Thayer  by  the  hand. 

"  I  promise  you,  Thayer,  that  I  will  do  my  best,  and 
I  will  turn  aside  for  no  man."  As  their  eyes  met  an 
understanding  and  a  friendship  sprung  up  between  the 
two  men  which  lasted  through  their  lives. 

"  Is  Mr.  Haverland  in  his  office?  Thanks,  I'll  find 
him."  The  loud  voice  of  Colonel  Horner  came  from 
the  outer  office,  and  without  further  announcement  he 
brushed  into  the  room. 

"  Mr.  District  Attorney,  let  me  congratulate  you.  I 
told  you  that  you  would  be  elected.  You  trust  Jake 
Horner  to  keep  his  word." 

Haverland  smiled  pleasantly.  "  I  thank  you,  Colonel 
Horner,  for  the  work  you  have  done  in  the  campaign, 
and  I  thank  Mr.  Thayer  for  his  untiring  energy  and 
devotion ;  but  we  must  admit  that  my  election  was  only  a 
fluke,  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Butterworth." 

"  Now  don't  make  any  mistake,"  cried  the  Colonel. 
"  Some  of  the  Butterworth  votes  went  for  you,  some  for 
Featherstone  and  some  for  golf.  It  was  the  meeting  in 
Harmony  Hall  which  clinched  the  thing." 


116  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Richard  laughed  loudly.  "  Why  we  did  not  get  six 
words  over  the  first  row  —  they  would  not  have  us." 

"  My  dear  young  friend,  it  was  the  moral  effect.  I 
know  all  about  these  things.  You  will  pardon  my  say 
ing  it,  but  I  was  in  politics  when  you  were  wearing 
short  pants.  Why  I  planned  the  whole  thing.  I  did 
not  expect  to  get  many  votes  right  there,  but  I  knew 
the  value  of  a  big  advertisement,  and  the  people  all  over 
the  city  would  read  about  it  and  talk  about  it,  and  the 
Respectable  Citizen  would  turn  out  strong  for  you. 
Nothing  frightens  the  Respectable  Citizen  like  a  little 
violence.  In  his  mind's  eye  he  sees  the  whole  social 
fabric  falling  to  ruin,  so  out  he  gets  to  prevent  it.  That 
was  the  man  I  wanted  to  catch,  and  I  did  it." 

Haverland's  lips  were  closed.  "  Do  I  understand  you 
to  say,  Colonel  Horner,  that  you  deliberately  planned  a 
disorderly  meeting  and  made  us  unknowingly  party  to 
it,  merely  for  the  dramatic  effect?  If  so  I  must  tell 
you  that  your  action  was  unwarranted,  and  I  for  one 
am  the  reverse  of  grateful." 

Colonel  Horner  eyed  Richard  uneasily  for  a  moment, 
then  he  laughed.  "  Of  course  I  did  not  plan  to  have 
the  rotten  eggs  thrown,  but  I  was  an  accessory  to  this 
extent:  When  I  learned  that  Finn  wanted  a  hundred 
tickets  I  said  *  give  'em  two.  If  that  crowd  want  to 
come  and  be  converted,  let  'em  come,  there's  room  in  the 
hall  to  convert  them.'  I  got  the  reserves  just  at  the 
right  time,  didn't  I?  I  did  nothing  of  which  I  am 
ashamed,  or  anything  which  deserves  censure,  Mr.  Hav- 
erland." 

Thayer  took  up  the  conversation  quietly. 

"  I  did  not  mind  the  vivacity  of  our  audience,  it  added 
a  little  spice  to  the  campaign.  The  fact  remains  that 
by  a  combination  of  circumstances  we  have  won  a  great 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY  117 

victory,  which  is  all  the  greater  because  our  opponent* 
flooded  the  city  with  money." 

"  Well,"  said  Homer,  cheerfully,  "  it  does  not  matter 
much  now;  we  have  won  the  election,  and  if  any  of  the 
Cadwell  crowd  sought  to  help  Featherstone  at  the  last 
moment  they  got  doubly  left,  and  we  have  the  laugh  on 
them,  all  right.  Now  I  must  be  off.  Take  a  good  rest, 
Haverland,  and  in  a  few  days  we  will  get  together  and 
talk  over  your  appointments;  but  be  careful  of  your 
self  now,  my  dear  fellow,  there  will  be  lots  of  work 
ahead  later." 

"  I'm  all  right,"  replied  Haverland  quickly,  "  I  was 
never  stronger,  Colonel  Horner." 

"  I  am  sure  of  that,"  said  Thayer  to  himself  as  he 
went  off  with  Colonel  Horner. 

After  they  had  left,  the  work  on  Richard  Haverland's 
desk  remained  untouched,  while  he  sat  gazing  out  of  the 
window.  Rising  to  his  feet  he  walked  to  the  window 
and  looked  out  over  the  city. 

"  God  knows  where  this  new  path  will  take  me,  but  I 
have  set  foot  to  it  and  I  cannot  turn  back ;  I  must  follow 
it.  And  I  will  follow  it,  wherever  it  may  lead,  so  help 
me  Heaven ! " 


CHAPTER  XV 

FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE. 

Samuel  Haverland  was  eating  his  simple  breakfast 
with  the  newspaper  propped  up  before  him  in  order  to 
waste  no  time,  when  his  eye  fell  upon  the  headlines: 

RICHARD    HAVERLAND    ELECTED    DISTRICT    ATTORNEY. 
OFFICIAL  COUNT  GIVES  HIM  A  SLIGHT   PLURALITY. 

He  actually  started  as  he  read  it,  and  then  without 
any  sign  of  emotion  read  it  aloud  to  his  wife. 

"  Cadwell  told  me  that  Featherstone  would  be  elected. 
I  depend  upon  Cadwell  for  my  political  information, 
and  he  is  generally  accurate;  but  this  time  Richard  has 
upset  his  calculations,"  he  remarked  dryly. 

"  Samuel,"  said  his  wife  gently,  "  are  you  not  pleased 
with  the  result  of  the  election  ?  It  would  seem  that  Rich 
ard  has  been  elevated  to  a  position  of  considerable  dig 
nity." 

Old  Samuel  raised  his  head,  and  gave  his  wife  his  un 
fathomable  gaze.  "  Richard  Haverland  is  a  young  man 
of  extraordinary  ability,"  he  said  slowly.  "  His  elec 
tion  however  is  only  the  result  of  a  chain  of  accidents  of 
which  the  death  of  that  estimable  gentleman,  Joseph 
Butterworth,  was  one.  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  Rich 
ard  would  have  found  better  employment  for  his  talents, 
and  certainly  much  larger  remuneration,  in  the  service  of 
some  large  corporation.  However,  I  have  no  control 

118 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE  119 

over  him.  He  will  follow  his  own  path  in  life,"  and  he 
resumed  his  paper.  "  Haverland  beats  Featherstone," 
he  read  to  himself  once  more,  and  in  spite  of  the  upset 
to  his  plans,  a  light  of  satisfaction  stole  into  his  eyes. 
"  My  son  wins,"  he  repeated  to  himself. 

"  Perhaps  Richard  has  political  ambitions,"  continued 
Mrs.  Haverland,  "  you  know  he  has  shown  that  he  does 
not  care  for  money." 

"  I  think,"  said  the  dry  voice  behind  the  newspaper, 
"  that  one  term  will  satisfy  his  political  ambitions." 

"  But  why,"  persisted  Mrs.  Haverland  gently,  "  if 
he  has  chosen  that  career — " 

"  If  I  understand  Richard  aright,"  said  old  Samuel, 
putting  aside  his  newspaper,  and  looking  across  the 
table  at  his  wife,  "  he  is  not  of  the  material  that  invites 
renomination,  so  one  term  is  all  that  he  is  likely  to  get. 
And  he  can't  do  very  much  damage  in  one  term,"  he 
added  musingly. 

"  What  damage  would  Richard  want  to  do? "  ex 
claimed  the  mother. 

"  None,  intentionally,  but  he  has  developed  some 
rather  startling  ideas.  There  is  no  telling  where  he  will 
bring  up  if  he  gives  them  loose  rein.  However,  I  think 
time  will  temper  his  blood.  I  am  a  great  believer  in 
Time."  And  old  Sam  Haverland  rose  and  went  off  to 
the  day's  work. 

Time,  in  its  due  course,  placed  Richard  Haverland  in 
the  office  of  District  Attorney.  And  Time,  assisted  by 
Thomas  Cadwell,  brought  the  bill  giving  the  United 
Central  Traction  Company  a  franchise  for  fifty  years, 
up  for  its  last  reading  before  the  Aldermen. 

The  "  City  Fathers  "  were  paying  slight  attention  to 
the  clerk.  Having  decided  how  he  was  going  to  vote 


120  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

each  was  impatient  for  the  roll-call,  for  the  hour  was 
growing  late. 

A  strong  opposition  had  been  arrayed  against  the  bill, 
an  opposition  so  determined  and  so  denunciatory,  that 
the  framers  and  friends  of  the  measure  had  been  put 
upon  the  defensive.  Under  direct  and  repeated  charges 
of  bribery  they  had  almost  wavered,  and  the  timid  among 
them  at  one  time  had  trembled  in  their  boots. 

Frank  Thayer,  the  leader  of  the  opposition,  sat  at  his 
desk.  His  eyes  were  on  the  bronze  clock  on  the  wall  be 
hind  the  monotonous  reader,  although  the  flight  of  time 
was  of  small  concern  to  him  now,  for  he  knew  that  the 
bill,  against  which  he  had  fought  unceasingly  from  the 
beginning  of  the  session  to  the  present  hour,  was  certain 
to  become  a  law. 

Joseph  Keating  standing  in  the  lobby,  laughing  and 
chatting  while  he  smoked  his  cigar,  knew  just  which  men 
had  been  paid  for  their  votes,  and  to  a  cent  what  they 
had  cost. 

Under  the  pressure  of  the  hard,  close  fight,  Keating 
had  been  present,  not  only  in  the  lobby,  but  had  shame 
lessly  come  upon  the  floor  of  the  chamber,  for  he  felt 
he  could  not  always  trust  those  whom  he  had  purchased. 
Now,  however,  he  felt  safe.  Hawley,  who  had  the  bill 
in  charge,  would  not  have  brought  it  up  if  he  had  not 
had  a  majority  in  hand, —  and  Frank  Thayer  was 
beaten. 

"  Frank  Thayer  is  a  good  fellow  and  a  brainy  one, 
but  he  don't  go  to  work  right,"  laughed  Keating,  as  with 
the  utmost  coolness  he  awaited  the  result  of  the  vote,  the 
tally  of  which  he  now  had  on  a  piece  of  paper  in  his  vest 
pocket. 

The  reading  finished,  Thayer,  with  his  chin  resting  in 
his  palm,  listened  to  the  "  Ayes  "  and  "  Noes  "  as  they 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE 


followed  the  roll-call.  That  some  of  those  who  were 
giving  their  verdict  had  been  bought,  he  knew  ;  who  they 
were  he  strongly  suspected,  but  upon  none  could  he 
fasten  absolute  proof.  Mechanically  Thayer  checked 
the  voting,  although  he  knew  his  cause  lost,  and  that  a 
majority  for  the  bill  would  be  recorded. 

He  could  see  Keating's  face  in  the  door-way  of  the 
chamber,  as  he  also  kept  tabs  on  the  vote.  The  vote 
was  running  close,  very  close,  but  Keating  knew  that  he 
had  a  majority  for  the  bill  and  one  or  two  to  spare. 

The  clerk  called  the  names  quickly  in  alphabetical 
order,  and  the  voting  ran  like  the  rattle  of  musketry, 
each  member  giving  his  "  Aye  "  or  "  No,"  quickly  and 
distinctly,  until  the  name  of  Karl  Maier  was  reached. 
There  was  a  short  pause;  then  the  clerk  repeated: 
"  Karl  Maier." 

A  faint  "  Aye  "  sounded  on  Thayer's  right.  Thayer 
turned  quickly  to  look  at  Maier.  He  was  a  little  Ger 
man  who  kept  a  delicatessen  store,  and  who  was  serving 
his  first  term  on  the  Board.  Thayer  had  counted  on  this 
man's  support;  only  a  few  days  before  Maier  had  con 
demned  the  measure  in  round  terms,  though  broken  Eng 
lish.  So  feeble  was  his  voice  in  the  affirmative  that  the 
clerk  repeated  his  name  for  the  third  time. 

"  I  voted  once,  already,"  said  the  little  German, 
huskily. 

"  Well,  what  was  it  ?  "  asked  the  clerk  impatiently. 

"  I  am  for  that  bill." 

"  Against  it  !  "  cried  a  dozen  voices,  "  you're  against 
it,  Maier  !  " 

Maier  turned  pale.     "  I  have  changed." 

"  He  changes  his  vote.     He  votes  No  !  " 

"  Nein,  I  vote  *  Yes,'  I  have  changed  my  mind.  I 
am  for  that  bill.  That's  right,  ain't  it?" 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


Thayer  smiled  bitterly  ;  he  had  thought  the  man  hon 
est,  but  evidently  here  was  one  of  the  weak  spots  that 
Keating  had  reached.  After  this  small  incident  the  bal 
loting  was  resumed  as  rapidly  as  before. 

"  James  T.  Sullivan." 

"  Aye,  you  bet  I'm  for  that  bill  !  "  roared  a  deep 
voice. 

There  was  such  a  frank  admission  of  venality  in  the 
very  ring  of  his  voice  and  such  a  broad  grin  on  Sulli 
van's  face  that  a  general  laugh  followed.  Sullivan, 
who  had  just  had  a  drink  or  two  before  he  came  in  to 
answer  to  his  name,  was  feeling  good  and  he  joined  in 
the  laugh  as  the  roll-call  proceeded. 

"  Francis  B.  Thayer." 

"  Aye." 

The  laugh  created  by  Sullivan  was  hushed.  The  clerk 
in  his  surprise  repeated  his  name. 

"  Aye." 

The  silence  which  followed  was  intense,  then  Sullivan 
broke  it  with  an  exclamation  of  naive  astonishment. 

"  My  God,  they've  bought  him,  too  !  " 

A  laugh  followed  this  spontaneous  remark.  Every 
thing  that  Sullivan  said  caused  merriment.  But  here 
the  laughter  mingled  with  shouts  of  derision.  Thayer 
sat  unmoved,  one  hand  shading  his  eyes,  while  with  the 
other  he  held  the  pencil  with  which  he  had  been  keeping 
tally. 

The  balloting  was  concluded,  and  the  bill  granting  a 
franchise  for  fifty  years  to  the  United  Central  Traction 
Co.,  was  passed  with  a  safe  majority. 

It  was  after  midnight  when  the  meeting  adjourned, 
but  before  the  chamber  was  empty  Keating  was  in  a 
telephone-booth  giving  the  result  to  Cadwell. 

Thayer  got  up  leisurely  from  his  chair,  stretched  his 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE  133 

arms  with  a  sigh  of  fatigue,  and  leaning  over  towards 
Maier,  said : 

"  Mr.  Maier,  will  you  join  me  over  at  the  Rushmore?  " 

At  any  other  time  Maier  would  have  been  delighted  to 
get  the  invitation,  but  to-night  he  had  six  crisp  five- 
hundred  dollar  bills  in  his  pocket,  and  he  did  not  want 
to  go  into  a  saloon.  The  Rushmore  was  a  very  high- 
toned  saloon  with  oil  paintings  on  the  wall,  a  place  fre 
quented  by  the  bigger  political  guns.  Karl  Maier  gen 
erally  drank  his  beer  at  Mindenhof 's,  but  he  did  not  want 
to  go  to  Mindenhof's  to-night,  he  wanted  to  get  home 
to  red-cheeked,  black-eyed  Mrs.  Maier,  with  that  three 
thousand  dollars  safe  in  his  pocket.  It  was  a  fortune. 
It  would  take  them  out  of  the  little  place  where  they 
had  been  for  five  years,  and  set  them  up  in  a  fine  shop 
where  they  would  be  bound  to  expand  and  grow  pros 
perous.  Maier  felt  that  he  could  not  get  home  soon 
enough  and  lock  that  money  up.  Frank  Thayer  had  a 
way  of  asking  anything  which  made  a  denial  difficult. 
Maier  turned  red  with  pleasure  at  the  invitation.  While 
his  mind  labored  to  find  an  excuse,  his  English  was  not 
fluent  enough,  and  he  blurted  out:  "I  go  over  with 
you,"  and  regretted  it  immediately. 

Thayer  strolled  across  the  room.  "  Mr.  Sullivan, 
won't  you  come  over  to  the  Rushmore  ?  " 

"  I  will,"  was  the  prompt  rejoinder.  "  I'm  that 
thirsty  I  could  drink  up  a  vat.  I  say,  Mr.  Thayer, 
what  a  lot  of  time  was  wasted  in  talk,  when  every 
mother's  son  of  us  knew  just  what  he  was  going  to  do," 
and  Sullivan  winked  at  Thayer. 

The  three  men  went  across  the  street.  Upon  one  side 
of  the  gentlemanly  Thayer  was  loud-mouthed  Sullivan, 
and  upon  the  other  Karl  Maier,  whose  curly,  blond 
head  .barely  came  as  high  as  Sullivan's  red  neck,  and 


124,  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

who  walked  as  if  in  a  dream.  Maier  had  had  qualms 
of  conscience  about  selling  his  vote,  yet  here  he  was 
shoulder  to  shoulder  with  a  man  he  felt  had  done  the 
same  thing,  and  worse,  for  Thayer  had  led  the  opposi 
tion,  and  then  gone  over  to  the  other  side  at  the  last 
moment;  probably  for  a  big  price.  Maier  wondered 
how  much  more  than  three  thousand  dollars.  Poor 
Maier's  conscience  was  dulled.  His  ideas  of  right  and 
wrong  were  badly  mixed,  but  he  felt  that  he  was  in  very 
good  company,  and  was  rather  proud  of  himself;  and 
every  time  he  thought  of  the  three  thousand  dollars 
actually  in  his  possession  he  had  delicious  thrills. 

At  the  door  of  the  saloon  Sullivan  stopped  abruptly, 
and  turned  to  speak  to  a  man  who  seemed  to  have  come 
across  the  street  with  them  without  actually  being  of 
their  party.  He  was  a  small  man,  ill-dressed,  and  he 
shambled  in  his  gait.  His  particular  mark  of  distinc 
tion  was  a  crooked  nose.  This  important  feature,  like 
many  a  well-meaning  person,  had  started  right,  but  some 
sudden  contrariety  had  deflected  it  from  its  course,  and 
it  now  pointed  in  a  south-westerly  direction  toward  the 
lobe  of  his  left  ear. 

As  Sullivan  was  a  follower  of  Doc'  Connor,  so  did 
he  have  his  henchman  in  the  man  with  the  crooked  nose, 
who  in  turn,  doubtless  had  his  own  flea,  and  so  on,  ad 
infinitum. 

"  Jerry,  wait  outside  by  the  bar ;  I'm  goin'  to  open  a 
bottle  with  a  gentleman,"  said  Sullivan.  The  man  with 
the  crooked  nose  disappeared  in  silence  through  the 
swinging  doors,  like  a  spaniel. 

The  three  men  sat  down  at  a  polished  table  in  a  pri 
vate  room  in  the  rear  of  the  saloon.  Under  their  feet 
was  a  thick  red  carpet.  On  the  wall,  in  a  massive  gilt 
frame,  was  a  striking  Bougereau,  the  row  of  electric 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE  125 

lights  above  it  revealing  somewhat  too  glaringly,  the 
ripe  charms  in  the  Surprise  au  Bain. 

Thayer  seemed  perfectly  at  home;  he  smoked  a  cigar 
which  Sullivan  had  given  him,  and  leaning  back  in  his 
chair  pressed  a  button  in  the  wall;  a  waiter  appearing, 
he  ordered  a  bottle  of  wine. 

"  Yer  little  divil ! "  exclaimed  the  genial  Sullivan, 
slapping  Thayer  on  the  back,  "  yer  one  of  us  after  all." 

With  the  wine  bubbling  in  the  glasses,  Sullivan's  mer 
riment  sprang  quickly  to  the  surface.  He  had  been 
drinking  freely  all  the  afternoon,  and  although  he  car 
ried  the  drink  as  steadily  as  a  man-of-war,  it  showed 
in  the  perpetual  broad  smile  on  his  red  face. 

"  You're  a  game  sport,"  he  declared  setting  down  his 
glass  empt}'  for  the  second  time,"  and  when  we've  fin 
ished  this  we'll  have  another  bottle,  for  I've  got  money, 
too." 

The  second  bottle  was  soon  forthcoming,  for  Sulli 
van  would  not  take  "  No  "  from  anyone,  and  Maier  was 
not  adverse  to  the  good  wine  which  was  so  free.  He 
drained  off  his  glass  with  a  sigh  of  pleasure.  "  Life 
was  a  pretty  good  place  after  all,  for  those  who  knew 
how  to  get  into  the  swim." 

Thayer  turned  to  him,  and  asked  with  perfect  natural 
ness,  just  as  if  such  things  were  said  and  done  openly 
every  day: 

"  How  much  did  you  get  for  your  vote,  Maier?  " 

Unconsciously  Maier's  hand  went  towards  his  breast 
pocket.  He  felt  Thayer's  eyes  looking  through  the 
double  thickness  of  cloth,  ravishing  his  treasure.  Al 
though  he  thought  he  knew  that  Thayer  was  in  as  deep 
as  himself,  or  deeper,  he  shifted  guiltily  in  his  chair.  He 
looked  about  the  room  quickly.  "  Hist,"  he  whispered 


126  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

with  a  nudge  at  Thayer,  apprehensive  that  the  gentle 
man  had  taken  too  much  wine. 

"  Oh  we  all  know  you  got  it,"  persisted  Thayer,  "  how 
much  was  it,  five  thousand  dollars  ?  " 

"  Five  thousand  dollars  !  "  exploded  Sullivan.  "  Did 
that  Dutchman  get  five  thousand,  and  me  only  four. 
Ain't  my  vote  worth  more  than  a  Dutch  vote?  " 

"  Please  don't  talk  loud  like  that,"  whispered  Maier, 
thoroughly  alarmed.  "  You  make  us  trouble." 

"  I  don't  care  who  hears  it,  my  vote  has  got  to  be 
worth  more  than  a  Dutchman's,  or  there  will  be  trouble." 

"  I  only  got  three  thousand  dollars,"  pleaded  Maier. 

"  Sure,  now?  "  asked  Sullivan. 

"  Sure,  that's  right,  I  would  not  lie  about  it  to  you, 
Mr.  Sullivan.  You  just  ask  Mr.  Keating,  that's  all  he 
paid  to  me." 

Sullivan  sounded  his  hoarse  laugh.  "  That  is  because 
you  made  him  pay  you  in  advance.  If  you  had  trusted 
him  he  might  have  done  better  by  you.  He'll  let  me 
have  four  to-morrow,  and  I'll  get  it,  you  bet.  Keating 
is  square." 

"  Did  you  get  five  thousand  dollars  for  your  vote  ?  " 
asked  Maier  turning  to  Thayer,  his  eyes  glistening  with 
newly  aroused  cupidity,  while  he  meditated  a  further 
assault  upon  Keating's  unlimited  funds.  "  Five  thou 
sand  just  for  one  vote!  " 

"  I  did  not  say  that  I  got  anything  for  my  vote,"  re 
plied  Thayer. 

"  You  voted  for  that  bill,  that  wicked  bill  what  cheats 
the  public,  for  nothing?  "  inquired  Maier,  aghast. 

Thayer  got  up. 

"  Everyone  had  a  right  to  vote  as  he  thinks  best.  Of 
course  if  he  accepts  a  bribe  for  his  vote,  and  gets  caught, 
he  runs  the  risk  of  going  to  jail." 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  VOTE  127 

Maier  felt  the  cold  chills  run  down  his  back ;  Thayer 
spoke  so  deliberately. 

Sullivan  laughed.  "  If  he  gets  caught,  but  who  is 
goin'  to  get  caught  with  the  goods  on  him.  Maier  you 
rest  easy,  you  won't  get  anything  more  from  Keating, 
and  you  can  bet  Thayer  got  more  than  you,  or  he's  a 
bigger  fool.  Come  drink  your  wine,  you  Dutchman, 
just  as  if  it  was  beer." 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Thayer,  buttoning  up  his  over 
coat.  "  The  hour  is  getting  late  for  me.  I  have  a 
constitution  which  demands  some  care,  so  I  will  say 
good  night." 

"  I  let  my  constitution  take  care  of  me,"  said  Sullivan. 
"  Come,  Dutchy,  put  some  more  of  this  bubbling  booze 
in  your  constitution,  it  will  do  it  good.  So  long 
Thayer;  see  you  some  other  day." 

Francis  Thayer  pushed  through  the  swinging-doors 
out  into  the  street.  He  threw  the  cigar  which  Sullivan 
had  given  him  to  the  gutter  with  a  feeling  of  disgust, 
hailed  a  passing  cab,  and  rode  quickly  home. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    HONORABLE    KARL,    MAIER 

Karl  Maier  was  ill  at  ease.  The  red-cheeked  wife  and 
the  two  little  Maiers,  with  a  visible  promise  of  a  third, 
failed  to  revive  his  heart,  or  to  prevent  his  mind  from 
reverting  to  the  hour  spent  with  Thayer  and  Sullivan 
in  the  private  room  of  the  Rushmore.  Again  and  again 
he  saw  the  bright  red  carpet,  the  striking  Bougereau  in 
its  gilt  frame  with  the  electric  lights  above  it.  Then 
he  would  see  Thayer  standing  over  him,  buttoning  his 
overcoat  slowly  and  deliberately,  while  he  gazed  down 
upon  him  with  that  inexpressible  look  in  his  eyes.  Every 
time  his  mind  brought  up  this  picture  he  felt  a  sinking 
sensation  in  his  stomach.  It  was  not  conscience ;  he  had 
got  past  that. 

He  argued  with  himself  valiantly  that  Thayer  was 
in  the  same  boat.  He  had  doubtless  received  a  much 
larger  sum.  He  must  have  been  paid  at  least  five  thous 
and  dollars  to  change  his  vote  at  the  last  moment;  but 
Thayer  had  refused  to  admit  it,  while  he  had  got  at 
Maier's  secret.  Maier  told  himself  over  and  over  again 
that  no  one  outside  of  those  equally  deep  in  the  mire  knew 
that  he  had  received  a  bribe,  yet  he  feared  Thayer,  and 
his  previous  admiration  for  him  changed  to  cordial  dis 
like. 

Karl  did  not  let  his  wife  know  that  he  had  this  money. 
Some  day  he  meant  to  tell  her  that  he  had  made  a  lucky 
speculation,  but  he  decided  to  allow  time  to  elapse  be- 

128 


fore  he  enlarged  his  business,  and  meanwhile  carried  the 
bills  in  his  breast-pocket  until  they  became  damp  and 
greasy.  He  would  clutch  at  them  suddenly,  as  they  lay 
next  his  heart,  to  make  sure  that  they  were  safe,  and 
suffered  intermittent  chills  and  fever  a  dozen  times  dur 
ing  the  day  and  night  for  fear  of  thieves.  A  week 
passed  in  this  way,  when  one  morning  a  man  strolled  into 
his  store.  He  was  about  fifty,  with  a  ruddy  out-of-door 
looking  face  and  a  stubby  grey  moustache  discolored  by 
the  use  of  tobacco.  He  leaned  over  the  counter  in  an 
easy,  familiar  way,  and  began  in  a  confidential  tone. 
"  Say,  Maier,  the  District  Attorney  would  like  to  see 
you." 

Maier  turned  the  color  of  the  cold  pork  in  his  win 
dow.  He  caught  the  edge  of  the  counter  to  keep  himself 
from  falling.  He  would  have  collapsed  but  for  his  wife, 
whose  voice  he  heard  singing  to  little  Karl  in  the  room 
back  of  the  shop.  He  loved  his  wife,  and  a  sudden  shock 
to  her  in  her  present  condition  might  be  serious,  so  he 
pulled  himself  together  with  all  the  manhood  he  could 
summon  and  asked  feebly: 

"  I  am  arrested  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  got  any  warrant  for  you,"  replied  the  man 
carelessly,  "  he  wants  to  see  you,  that's  all  I  know." 

"What's  that  for?" 

"  He  wants  just  a  little  talk  with  you.  You  go  up 
and  you'll  find  out." 

"  Just  a  little  talk,"  Maier  repeated  to  himself,  while 
his  conscience,  or  rather  his  aroused  fears  whispered  in 
his  ear,  Thayer's  words :  "  Of  course  if  a  man  accepts 
a  bribe  and  is  caught  he  runs  the  risk  of  going  to  jail." 
Maier's  mind  had  never  worked  quickly,  yet  in  the  few 
moments  while  his  eyes  rolled  about  the  shop,  looking 
at  everything  save  into  the  eyes  of  the  man  who  leaned 


130  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

negligently  against  the  counter,  his  thoughts,  borne  on 
the  wings  of  fear,  travelled  to  Canada,  Mexico  and  South 
America.  With  the  money  in  his  pocket  he  could  get 
to  the  most  distant  corner  of  the  earth,  and  hide. 
*'  Surely  they  would  never  send  so  far  for  him,  just  for 
three  thousand  dollars." 

He  had  only  one  thought  now,  to  get  away,  to  get 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  Law  which  he  could  feel  dragging 
him  away  from  his  little  shop,  from  the  light  of  day  — 
from  his  wife  —  My  God !  if  he  should  run  away  it  would 
be  running  away  from  her.  He  would  never  see  her 
again.  He  could  not  bear  that.  He  would  have  to 
stay.  Perhaps  if  put  in  prison  he  still  would  be  per 
mitted  to  see  her  sometimes.  Yet  if  he  got  safely  away 
she  might  join  him  some  day  later.  But  then  they 
would  watch  her,  and  follow  her,  and  he  would  be  taken 
and  brought  back. 

"  Come  on,  Maier,"  said  the  man. 

"  I  go  with  you,"  replied  Karl.  "  Minna,"  he  called 
out.  "  You  look  after  the  business,  yes,  I  have  to  go 
out  with  this  gentleman  for  a  little." 

"  Yes,  Karl." 

She  came  through  the  door  almost  immediately,  lead 
ing  little  Karl  by  the  hand,  and  followed  by  an  odor  of 
cooking. 

Maier  did  not  dare  trust  himself  to  look  full  at  her. 
He  was  around  the  edge  of  the  counter  and  out  of  the 
front  door  before  she  was  fairly  in  the  room,  but  her 
voice  followed  him  to  the  street: 

"  You  must  come  back  again  soon  for  the  dinner  is 
nearly  ready." 

He  caught  one  glimpse  of  her  through  the  window, 
between  the  hanging  rows  of  enormous  sausage  and  the 
piles  of  canned  chicken  which  she  had  arranged  so  taste- 


THE  HONORABLE  KARL  MAIER        131 

fully  that  he  had  proudly  thought  their  window  even 
more  artistic  than  that  of  the  fancy-goods  store,  across 
the  street.  She  was  waiting  upon  a  customer,  yet  she 
found  time  to  smile  through  the  window  at  him.  With 
her  dark  hair  and  the  color  in  her  cheeks  she  looked  as 
beautiful  as  any  lady  he  had  ever  seen.  Her  sleeves  were 
rolled  up  to  the  elbow,  she  had  not  had  time  to  turn  them 
down,  and  though  her  hands  were  a  little  roughened  by 
work,  her  arms  were  as  white  as  any  lady's,  and  it  was 
because  of  that,  and  because  he  felt  that  she  was  en 
titled  to  a  finer  shop,  and  perhaps  some  day  a  servant, 
that  he  had  taken  the  three  thousand  dollars.  He  put 
his  hand  to  his  pocket  as  if  he  would  throw  the  bills  into 
the  gutter,  but  the  man  who  walked  beside  him,  so  care 
lessly  indifferent,  would  see,  and  pick  them  up.  Be 
sides  he  could  not  do  it  anyway  for  it  was  money.  It 
had  been  his  ruin.  It  meant  a  shadow  over  his  children 
and  the  breaking  of  Minna's  heart,  but  it  was  money. 

If  the  messenger  from  the  District  Attorney's  office 
was  aware  of  Maier's  agony  he  did  not  show  it.  He 
took  out  a  paper  of  tobacco  and  offered  Maier  a  chew. 
This  being  declined,  he  helped  himself  generously  and 
walked  along  in  silence.  There  was  something  in  the 
man's  indifference  which  in  a  slight  degree  gave  Maier 
courage.  "  They  can  prove  nothing,"  he  whispered  to 
himself.  Only  Keating  really  knew,  and  he  would  be 
the  last  to  tell.  As  for  Sullivan  and  Thayer,  if  one 
of  them  had  told  —  but  how  could  they  ?  Were  they 
not  equally  guilty?  Perhaps  someone  had  overheard 
their  conversation  that  evening  after  the  vote?  A  fierce 
resolve  leaped  up  within  him.  He  would  deny.  He 
would  deny  to  the  last  gasp,  though  they  tore  his  tongue 
out  by  the  roots  he  would  deny.  They  should  never 
know.  Minna  should  never  know. 


132  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

There  was  an  atmosphere  about  the  District  Attor 
ney's  office  of  crime  detected,  and  criminals  brought  to 
their  account  that  brought  back  to  Karl  Maier  the  weak 
ness  of  the  knees.  He  was  taken  to  a  small  ante-room  and 
left  there  alone.  He  felt  an  absence  of  stomach,  such 
as  afflicts  a  child  on  his  first  day  in  school.  He  shifted 
uneasily  on  the  chair,  and  studied  the  pattern  of  the 
linoleum  on  the  floor.  He  thought  it  less  pretty  than 
the  new  oil-cloth  on  the  kitchen  floor  at  home,  and  won 
dered  how  much  it  had  cost, —  40  cents  a  yard  at  least. 
Minna  had  gotten  their's  at  a  bargain  for  28  cents ; 
this  was  heavier,  a  little,  perhaps.  All  this  time  he  was 
saying  to  himself :  "  They  can  prove  nothing,  and  I 
will  deny !  deny !  My  God !  they  will  search  me,  but  I 
will  deny.  The  three  thousand  dollars,  how  did  I  get 
it?  I  earn  it.  I  save  it.  I  carry  it  here  because  I 
fear  thieves ;  when  I  find  me  a  safe  bank  I  put  it  in." 
For  fifteen  minutes  he  sat  alone,  but  it  seemed  an  hour 
before  he  was  told  to  come  into  the  District  Attorney's 
room. 

At  last  it  had  come,  the  fears,  that  had  haunted  him 
ever  since  that  evening  when  Thayer  had  looked  into  his 
timid  heart  and  shallow  mind,  were  realized.  He  stood 
before  the  Law.  Yet  after  the  first  moment  of  suspense 
he  felt  a  sense  of  some  relief  at  the  sight  of  the  public 
prosecutor.  He  saw  a  man  of  about  thirty,  with  kindly 
eyes  and  an  attractive  manner.  His  mouth  was  strong 
and  determined,  but  there  were  pleasant  lines  in  the 
corners  of  it,  and  there  was  something  about  his  per 
sonality  which  invited  confidence. 

"  Sit  down,  Mr.  Maier,"  he  said  in  a  friendly  tone,  as 
if  Maier  had  dropped  in  upon  him  casually  for  a  chat. 

Karl  gave  a  quick  glance  about  the  room,  and  sat 
down  on  the  leather-covered  sofa,  holding  his  hat  awk- 


THE  HONORABLE  KARL  MAIER        133 

wardly.  He  caught  at  a  straw  of  hope;  perhaps  after 
all  the  District  Attorney  wanted  to  see  him  about  a  dif 
ferent  matter,  and  he  had  had  all  that  scare  for  nothing. 

"  Had  a  pretty  lively  session  so  far  down  at  the 
City  Hall,  have  you  not,  Mr.  Maier?  " 

"  Yes,  something  doing  all  the  time." 

Maier  felt  himself  turn  red,  there  was  a  synonymous 
meaning  to  the  term  "  something  doing,"  freely  used  in 
certain  quarters,  and  which  was  the  very  last  interpreta 
tion  he  intended  to  convey,  so  he  corrected  himself 
quickly,  and  said: 

"  We  have  lots  to  do,  every  day." 

"  You  have  had  some  important  legislation  this  year." 

"Hein?" 

"  A  good  many  important  bills  have  come  up  for  the 
consideration  of  the  Aldermen  this  year." 

"  Yes,  a  good  many  bills." 

"  I  see  the  United  Central  Traction  Co.  got  its  bill 
through  all  right." 

Maier  felt  himself  grow  cold.  He  tried  to  make,  a 
nonchalant  reply,  but  his  tongue  refused  to  work. 

The  District  Attorney  had  spoken  with  perfect  natur 
alness,  as  if  there  had  been  nothing  out  of  the  way  in 
the  passage  of  the  measure,  and  as  he  spoke  he  pulled 
out  one  of  the  drawers  of  his  desk.  Karl  watched  him, 
expecting  to  see  him  produce  a  list  of  those  who  had  been 
bribed,  with  his  own  name  among  them.  He  gripped 
the  arm  of  his  seat  as  if  it  were  the  dentist's  chair.  He 
was  prepared  now,  and  would  deny ;  though  they  took 
him  to  the  electric  chair  no  one  should  ever  know. 
Minna  should  never  know. 

The  District  Attorney  held  out  a  box  of  cigars. 

"  Take  a  cigar,  Maier?  " 

The  momentary  relief  brought  a  sigh  from  Karl.     He 


134  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

wiped  his  forehead.  "  Yes,  thanks."  He  took  the  cigar 
and  tried  to  light  it. 

"  You  are  lighting  the  wrong  end,"  said  the  District 
Attorney  politely. 

Karl  laughed  nervously.  "  I  smoke  a  pipe  mostly," 
he  explained. 

The  District  Attorney  leaned  back  in  his  chair,  and 
puffed  his  own  cigar  leisurely. 

"  How  much  did  you  say  you  got  for  your  vote,  Mr. 
Maier?  " 

The  cigar  dropped  from  Maier's  nerveless  fingers  to 
the  floor.  He  felt  the  keen  eyes  of  the  District  Attor 
ney  but  he  could  not  meet  them.  Then  he  recalled  how 
Thayer  had  impressed  him  when  he  had  said :  "  I  did 
not  say  I  got  anything  for  my  vote."  With  a  great 
effort  he  got  upon  his  feet,  and  looked  down  upon  the 
District  Attorney  with  all  the  dignity  he  could  muster. 

"  I  did  not  say  that  I  got  anything  for  my  vote." 

The  District  Attorney  got  up,  and  placing  his  hand 
on  Maier's  arm  forced  him  gently  back  into  his  seat. 

"  Tell  me  all  about  it,  Mr.  Maier." 

"  I  tell  nothing,  there  is  nothing.  That  was  a  good 
bill.  The  wheels  of  progress, — the  business  interests 
of  this  city  — " 

"  In  this  case  '  the  wheels  of  progress  '  were  greased  in 
the  Aldermanic  Chamber;  how  much  did  you  get,  three 
thousand  dollars  ?  " 

"  Not  a  cent." 

"  Have  you  got  it  with  you  ?  " 

"  Nein,  I  have  it  not,  how  can  that  be  when  I  have  it 
not  at  all,"  exclaimed  Maier  excitedly. 

"  Mr.  Maier,"  said  the  District  Attorney,  "  it  is  known 
that  money  was  used  improperly  to  obtain  that  franchise. 


THE  HONORABLE  KARL  MAIER        135 

It  is  known  to  me  that  you  received  some  of  that  money, 
now  I  wish  you  would  give  me  the  details." 

The  District  Attorney  spoke  very  naturally  as  if  there 
was  nothing  out  of  the  way  in  accepting  a  bribe,  and  as 
if  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  was  for  those  con 
cerned  to  make  a  confidant  of  the  District  Attorney. 

"  I  can  tell  nothing,  I  know  nothing,"  was  the  dogged 
answer. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Maier,"  said  the  District  Attorney  in  his 
persuasive  way,  "  I  have  evidence  that  you  received  three 
thousand  dollars  for  your  vote,  but  there  are  men  guiltier 
than  you,  higher  in  the  social  scale  than  you,  whom  I 
wish  to  reach,  and  I  can  only  reach  them  through  you." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say,"  breathed  Maier  feebly. 

"  The  state  wants  your  help,  Maier ;  the  state  is  dis 
posed  to  deal  leniently  towards  those  who  help  to  con 
vict  greater  criminals  than  themselves.  I  can  give  you 
no  promise  of  immunity,  but  I  can  assure  you  that  if 
you  will  aid  the  state  your  position  will  be  much  better. 
The  chances  are  you  will  not  suffer  severely  for  this, 
your  first  crime." 

Karl  shrunk  at  the  sound  of  the  word. 

"  You  will  have  a  chance  to  redeem  yourself,  to  be 
still  a  decent  citizen, —  a  good  husband  —  and  a  good 
father." 

Maier  began  to  swallow  hard.  The  District  Attor- 
new  was  pacing  the  floor  slowly. 

"  I  can  convict  you,  Maier,  and  I  will  send  you  to 
jail  as  sure  as  you  are  sitting  on  that  sofa.  It  will 
mean  three  years  at  least." 

Maier  began  to  whimper  like  a  frightened  school-boy. 

"  I  will  go  before  the  Grand  Jury  and  ask  for  an  in 
dictment  — " 

There  was  something  appalling  in  the  sonorous  words 


136  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Grand  Jury  " ;  Karl  Maier  sprang  up  and  caught  the 
District  Attorney  by  the  arm.  "  Don't  you  go  before 
that  Grand  Jury,  Mr.  District  Attorney,  don't  you  do 
it,"  he  pleaded  earnestly. 

The  District  Attorney  took  him  by  the  arm  and  placed 
him  in  a  chair. 

"  Now,  Maier,  tell  me  all  about  it." 

Maier  became  obstinately  dumb. 

"  I  have  not  done  anything  wrong,"  he  said. 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Maier,  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do. 
I'll  give  you  until  to-morrow  morning  at  eleven  o'clock 
to  come  in  here  voluntarily,  and  tell  me  who  gave  you 
that  money  and  all  the  attendant  circumstances;  if  you 
don't  do  it  by  that  time  you  will  be  arrested." 

Karl  Maier  drew  a  breath,  glad  of  the  respite. 

"  Meanwhile  you  will  be  watched,  you  cannot  get  out 
of  the  country  or  even  the  city.  You  can  go  now." 

When  Maier  walked  out  of  the  District  Attorney's  of 
fice  into  the  sunlight  he  seemed  to  be  in  a  strange  world, 
He  felt  as  if  he  had  been  turned  in-side-out  during  the 
interview  upstairs,  and  that  he  had  neither  mind  nor 
will-power  left.  He  had  one  overshadowing,  overpow 
ering  sense ;  that  by  eleven  o'clock  on  the  day  following 
he  would  have  another  ordeal,  to  escape  which  he  knew 
not  where  to  turn.  As  he  walked  along  in  a  dazed 
condition,  he  met  a  friend  who  addressed  him  as  "  the 
Honorable  Mr.  Maier."  He  smiled  feebly,  and  wished 
from  the  bottom  of  his  heart  that  he  had  never  had  that 
title  thrust  upon  him.  He  devoutly  wished  he  was  not 
an  "  Honorable  " ;  willingly  would  he  have  exchanged 
stations  with  the  humblest  in  the  land.  And  yet  a  few 
months  ago  he  had  been  so  very  proud  of  his  election. 

Conner  had  given  him  the  nomination  in  return  for 
the  good  showing  he  had  made  as  a  district  captain  dur- 


THE  HONORABLE  KARL  MAIER       137 

ing  a  previous  year.  Now  his  mind  turned  to  Connor 
as  one  who  might  aid  him  in  his  extremity,  and  he  bent 
his  footsteps  in  the  direction  of  the  Rushmore.  He 
had  to  knock  about  the  saloon  for  an  hour  before  he 
could  get  an  audience  with  the  chief.  During  this  in 
terim  he  took  two  or  three  drinks  to  pass  away  the  time, 
and  when  he  finally  got  upstairs,  and  Connor  had  greeted 
him  with  a  friendly,  "  What  can  I  do  for  you,  Mr. 
Maier,"  he  felt  better. 

Although  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  tell  Connor 
the  whole  truth,  he  let  him  know  that  he  was  in  danger 
of  being  arrested,  and  in  the  tone  of  a  faithful  retainer 
implored  his  aid  and  counsel. 

"  My  dear  Alderman,"  replied  Connor  slowly,  "  what'd 
you  have  me  do  with  that  District  Attorney?  I  can't 
do  a  thing  with  him,  and  that's  as  much  as  any  one  else 
can  do.  If  Featherstone  was  in  the  office  we'd  call  the 
matter  off  right  here.  But  I  don't  see  what  I  can  do 
for  you.  If  there  was  anything  else  you  wanted,  now." 

Maier's  spirits  fell  again.  He  had  come  in  with  the 
feeling  that  somehow  Connor  could  save  him.  He  could 
not  think  of  anything  else  he  wanted  just  then. 

"  Now  if  you  want  my  advice,"  said  Connor. 

Maier  answered  feebly  that  he  did. 

"  Well  then,  whatever  you  do,  don't  squeal.  I  have 
no  use  for  a  man  that  squeals.  Now  I  don't  know  what 
you've  done,  I  don't  want  to  know,  but  if  you've  got 
into  any  little  trouble  which  you  can't  get  out  of,  don't 
you  let  on.  You  take  your  medicine  with  your  teeth 
shut  and  bide  your  time.  If  you  can't  fight  your  man 
to-day,  wait  a  while,  some  day  you  may  be  able  to  get 
at  him,  and  then  strike  back  good  and  hard." 

Maier  thanked  the  boss  for  his  advice  and  said  he 
would  follow  it. 


138  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Confess,"  continued  Connor  with  contempt,  "  that's 
just  polite  talk  for  squeal.  I'd  like  to  see  anybody  get 
Michael  Connor  to  confess  anything  he'd  done.  I'd 
'  confess '  him  all  right.  Now  Maier,  if  I  can  do  any 
thing  for  you  at  any  time,  come  in  and  see  me.  I  re 
member  your  work  in  Election  District  nine  of  Ward  six, 
two  years  ago.  You  worked  hard  for  the  organization 
and  I'm  your  friend.  Now  don't  you  let  them  bluff 
you.  If  they  have  anything  against  you,  let  them 
prove  it,  that's  all,  let  them  prove  it,  but  don't  you  go 
and  let  them  prove  anything  against  anybody  else 
through  you.  After  you've  had  a  term  or  two  at  the 
City  Hall  you'll  be  able  to  keep  out  of  trouble." 

Maier  went  home  feeling  much  stronger.  He  had 
had  a  couple  more  drinks  in-  the  company  of  his  chief, 
and  he  felt  that  he  could  defy  the  District  Attorney  and 
the  whole  machinery  of  the  law. 

Minna's  dark  eyes  looked  at  him  reproachfully  as  he 
entered  the  shop. 

"  It's  nearly  three  o'clock  and  the  dinner  is  cold  and 
put  away,"  she  said.  "  I  asked  you  to  come  right 
back." 

Maier  had  forgotten  about  dinner,  and  now  his  whirl 
ing  head  told  him  he  had  eaten  nothing,  and  had  taken 
four  or  five  whiskies  on  an  empty  stomach. 

"  I'll  just  take  a  bite  of  bread  and  meat,"  he  replied. 

"  Karl !  "  exclaimed  his  wife.  "  You've  been  drink 
ing.  I  did  not  think  you'd  go  to  Mindenhofs  in  the 
daytime,  and  me  so  hard  worked,  too." 

"  I  have  not  been  to  Mindenhof's  this  day,"  he  an 
swered  shortly. 

"  Where  have  you  been,  then,  and  who  was  that  man 
who  came  here?  I  don't  like  his  looks. 

"Neither  do  I  like  him ;  I  wasn't  with  him  long." 


THE  HONORABLE  KARL  MAIER       139 

"  Karl,"  said  Minna,  coming  close  to  him  and  putting 
her  hand  on  his  arm,  "  you  are  not  like  yourself  a  bit 
to-day;  you've  been  different  for  several  days,  too. 
Won't  you  tell  me  where  you  have  been  all  the  afternoon, 
leaving  me  all  alone  in  the  shop  with  the  two  children? 
And  I  don't  like  your  drinking  like  that  either." 

"  Now,  Minna,  hush.     I've  been  to  the  Rushmore." 

"  The  Rushmore,  indeed,  and  do  you  think  that  you 
are  a  millionaire  since  you  got  that  job  of  Alderman? 
There  is  no  sense  in  your  going  to  the  Rushmore  to  get 
your  drink,  and  me  working  my  hands  off  without  a 
servant." 

"  You  don't  know  what  you  talk  about.  I  was  there 
on  business,  and  do  you  think  I  can  refuse  a  drink  when 
Boss  Connor  sets  it  up  ?  " 

"  Well,  there's  no  reason  you're  coming  home  and 
treating  me  like  this,  if  you  have  been  drinking  with 
Mr.  Connor,  and  me  in  this  condition  as  you  know." 
Minna  burst  into  tears  suddenly.  "  I  am  sorry  you 
ever  went  into  politics  at  all,  you  were  much  nicer  and 
kinder  before." 

"  Don't  you  talk  all  that  nonsense.  Politics  is  all 
right,  after  you've  been  in  'em  a  while.  And  I  can  take 
my  medicine  with  my  teeth  shut;  and  now  I'm  going  to 
bed,  for  I'm  tired,"  and  Alderman  Maier  walked  off 
with  much  dignity,  and  went  to  bed  in  his  boots,  leaving 
his  wife's  tears  undried  on  her  red  cheeks,  which  sur 
prised  and  grieved  her  all  the  more  because  it  was  un 
precedented.  All  through  their  married  life,  easy-going 
Karl  Maier  had  been  sweet-tempered. 

"  It  is  all  due  to  those  politics,"  she  said  to  herself 
as  she  wiped  her  eyes  on  her  apron.  "  I  wish  Karl 
would  give  it  up." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

MAIER    TAKES    HIS    MEDICINE 

The  Honorable  Karl  Maier  had  fallen  asleep,  strong 
in  the  determination  not  to  "  squeal."  Doc'  Connor 
had  no  use  for  such  a  man,  and  Connor  was  a  big  man, 
and  his  friend.  "  I'll  take  my  medicine  through  my 
teeth,"  he  muttered  as  he  threw  himself  down  on  the  bed, 
and  dropped  into  a  heavy  sleep. 

When  he  got  up  next  morning,  he  felt  as  if  he  did 
not  have  a  friend  in  the  world.  Connor  could  not  help 
him.  If  Featherstone  had  been  elected  it  would  have 
been  different,  but  now  it  would  be  three  years  at  least. 

When  little  Karl  put  his  face  up  to  be  kissed  his 
father  set  him  to  one  side  almost  roughly.  At  any  other 
time  he  would  have  caught  the  little  fellow  up  and 
kissed  his  warm  cheeks  and  his  eyes  and  his  curly  head, 
and  then  his  baby  hands,  for  he  adored  the  child,  but  he 
feared  to  touch  him  lest  he  should  burst  out  crying  like 
a  baby  himself.  He  went  out  hurriedly  into  the  shop, 
while  Minna  followed  him  with  an  angry  glance.  She 
had  not  forgiven  him  for  the  day  before.  Before  the 
three  years  were  gone  she  would  forgive  him,  he  thought 
mournfully.  And  little  Karl  would  be  in  trousers  when 
he  came  out  of  prison.  He  busied  himself  about  the 
shop  without  venturing  once  to  go  into  the  back  rooms. 
He  fumbled  at  the  till  and  made  wrong  change,  and 
kept  his  eye  on  the  clock.  For  a  City  Father  he  was  a 
very  abject,  unhappy  little  man. 

140 


MAIER  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE          141 

At  half  past  ten  he  could  stand  the  strain  no  longer. 
"  Minna,"  he  called  out,  "  you  come  and  tend  for  a 
while,  I  have  to  go  out." 

She  came  out  suddenly  enough,  her  eyes  flashing. 

"  No,  you  don't  go  out  of  this  place  this  morning, 
Karl  Maier !  I  won't  have  you  at  the  Rushmore  drink 
ing  today,  or  ever  again  in  the  daytime,  like  yesterday, 
if  you  are  going  to  live  with  me  and  these  children." 

"  I  must  go,  Minna,"  he  argued.  "  I  must  go.  It 
is  not  to  the  Rushmore,  it  is  business." 

"  Business  or  no  business,  you  stay  in  here  today." 

It  was  she  who  usually  decided  things  in  the  family, 
but  as  he  saw  the  hands  of  the  clock,  which  would  not 
stay  still,  he  pushed  quickly  by  her. 

"  I  go  out,"  he  shouted,  "  I  go  anyway.  It  makes 
no  difference  what  you  say." 

Taken  completely  by  surprise  she  let  him  go,  but  she 
vowed  that  when  he  did  return  there  should  be  an  under 
standing  and  a  complete  reorganization  of  affairs  in  the 
Alderman's  family. 

It  lacked  a  few  minutes  of  eleven  when  Maier  entered 
the  District  Attorney's  office,  and  again  he  had  to  wait 
in  the  ante-room  until  the  public  official  should  be  at 
leisure.  He  kept  pulling  out  his  watch  nervously,  and 
saw  the  hands  pass  the  hour.  He  felt  sick  as  the 
thought  came  over  him  that  he  might  be  too  late  after 
all  to  gain  any  advantage  by  telling.  He  had  got  to 
"  squeal "  anyway  now.  Connor  could  not  help  him. 
No  one  could  aid  him,  and  he  knew  he  could  not  stand 
out  before  the  District  Attorney. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Maier,"  said  the  Attorney  pleasantly 
when  they  were  alone. 

"  I  get  off,  if  I  tell?  "  asked  Karl  trembling. 

"  I   cannot   promise   entire   immunity,   but   you   will 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


stand  a  much  better  chance,  and  you  will  feel  much  bet 
ter,  so  sit  down  and  fire  away." 

Maier  drew  a  long  breath,  and  began  to  talk  hur 
riedly. 

"  I  was  against  that  bill  first.  I  think  it  give  away 
too  much.  Yes.  Also  Mr.  Thayer  was  against  it. 
That  time  I  liked  Mr.  Thayer.  Pretty  soon,  when 
everybody  begin  to  say  the  bill  fail,  a  man  come  to  me 
and  he  says,  '  Mr.  Maier,  how  long  is  it  that  you  was  an 
Alderman  ?  ' 

"  I  told  him  '  three  months.'  Then  he  ask  how  much 
I  make. 

"  '  My  salary,'  I  says. 

"  '  What,'  he  cries  out,  '  nothing  but  your  salary  out 
of  it.  Maier,  you  are  the  easiest  ever.  What  for  are 
you  in  politics  three  months,  and  just  your  salary?  ' 

"  '  I  am  an  honest  man,'  I  told  him  straight. 

"  '  That's  all  right.  What  is  an  honest  man  ?  It  is 
a  man  what  votes  right  ;  what  votes  in  the  interest  of  the 
people  ;  now  all  I  ask  of  you  is  to  let  me  bring  you  to  a 
man  what  will  convince  you  that  the  right  vote  is  for  that 
bill.  If  he  does  it,  all  right.  If  he  don't  do  it,  all 
right.  You  are  an  honest  man,  Mr.  Maier,  you  vote  the 
way  you  think.' 

"  I  told  him  I  was  convinced  enough  against  it,  but 
anyway  we  go  to  Mindenhof's,  and  in  the  back  room 
there  was  a  fine  gentleman,  Mr.  Keating.  He  gives  me 
the  glad  hand,  and  he  orders  the  drinks.  We  sit  and 
talk  a  good  while,  and  he  was  very  much  in  favor  of 
that  bill,  and  I  feel  that  he  begin  to  convince  me.  He 
says,  *  Now,  Mr.  Maier,  I  don't  want  to  influence  you, 
but  say  you  vote  for  that  bill,  it  means  not  so  much  to 
you,  perhaps,  but  to  me  it  is  a  big  thing.  If  you  should 
think  it  right  to  vote  for  it,  I  should  give  you  afterwards 


MAIER  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE          143 

a  present  of  three  thousand  dollars.  I  should  be  un 
generous  if  I  forgot  you.'  He  took  out  a  big  lot  of 
money,  mein  Gott,  I  say  nothing,  so  much  money  I 
never  have  seen. 

"  *  Three  thousand  dollars,'  he  says  again,  and  spread 
out  the  money  all  over  the  table.  '  That  is,'  he  said, 
*  you  understand,  if  your  mind  is  already  decided  that 
it  is  a  good  bill  to  vote  for  anyway.  Then  afterwards 
when  I  give  you  that  money  it  is  a  present.  I  can  give 
you  a  present  if  I  want  to,  can't  I,  Yes  ?  ' 

"  I  think  so  too,  for  I  think  a  present,  that  is  not  the 
same  like  a  bribe.  He  begin  to  put  the  money  away, 
and  I  says  quick :  '  I  think  that  a  good  bill  anyway,  and 
I  vote  for  him.' 

"  '  Sure  ?  '  he  asks. 

"  '  Sure,'  I  says,  *  I  think  that  a  very  good  bill.' 

"  He  laughs,  and  instead  of  putting  the  money  in  his 
pocket  he  slip  it  into  mine.  *  That's  all  right,  you  take 
my  little  present  now.' 

"  I  say  not  one  word,  my  head  was  going  round  and 
round,  so  much  money  I  never  had  seen. 

"  Then  we  have  another  drink,  and  Mr.  Keating  he 
takes  me  by  the  arm,  and  to  one  side,  and  say  very  seri 
ous  :  *  Maier,  you  keep  that  promise  what  you  make  to 
me  tonight.' 

"  *  I  give  you  my  word,'  I  answer  him,  a  little  of 
fended. 

"  *  That's  all  right,  I  trust  you,  Maier ;  you  stick 
to  me  and  you  will  wear  diamonds.'  That's  all  the 
truth,  Mr.  District  Attorney." 

"  This  is  the  best  day's  work  you  have  done  in  a  long 
time,  Mr.  Maier,"  said  the  District  Attorney,  cheerfully. 
"  Now  I  will  take  you  to  a  gentleman  who  will  take  your 
sworn  deposition.  You  stick  to  the  truth  in  future,  and 


144  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

though  you  may  not  wear  diamonds  you  will  be  able  to 
look  men  in  the  eye,  while  some  of  your  diamond  friends 
will  be  wearing  stripes.  By  the  way,  did  Mr.  Sullivan 
say  in  your  presence  at  the  Rushmore  that  he  had  re 
ceived  from  the  same  source  four  thousand  dollars  for 
his  vote?  Think  carefully,  for  I  may  ask  you  to  swear 
to  it,  some  day." 

"  I  can  take  my  oath  that  he  did  say  that." 

As  Maier  went  out  he  thought  he  saw  Sullivan  him 
self  in  one  of  the  outer  rooms  talking  in  his  glib  tongue 
to  some  of  the  clerks.  Maier  slid  away  unobserved ;  he 
did  not  wish  to  meet  him  just  now,  nor  did  he  wish  to  see 
Connor,  and  he  hurried  home  to  make  his  peace  with 
Minna,  wondering  what  Sullivan  was  doing  there. 

As  soon  as  the  District  Attorney  was  back  in  his  own 
office  he  struck  his  bell  sharply. 

"  Send  in  that  man  Sullivan,"  he  said  to  the  clerk. 

Mr.  Sullivan  entered,  unabashed.  He  looked  around 
the  office  coolly.  He  wore  a  fancy  waistcoat  of  black, 
splashed  with  red  dots,  and  across  it  a  double  gold  chain 
like  a  cable,  and  he  smiled  as  if  some  joke  were  hidden 
under  the  invitation  to  call. 

"  Take  a  seat,  Mr.  Sullivan." 

"  I  won't  stop  for  that.  You  asked  me  to  drop  in,  so 
I  did  while  on  my  way  to  the  City  Hall.  You  said  you 
might  have  something  to  say  which  would  interest  me." 

"  Yes,  and  so  I  have.  I  have  just  had  a  call  from  a 
man  who  says  that  he  received  three  thousand  dollars 
for  his  vote  on  the  franchise  bill,  and  that  you  received 
four  thousand ;  why  did  you  get  more  than  he  ?  " 

"  Somebody  has  been  giving  you  a  fairy  tale,"  replied 
Sullivan. 

"  Now  you  know  that  I  know  you  got  it ;  tell  me  all 
about  it." 


MAIER  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE          145 

"  I  only  wish  I  had  got  it,"  laughed  Sullivan,  "  if 
they  are  handing  it  out  like  that  I  want  what  is  coming 
to  me." 

"  You  have  stated  in  the  presence  of  two  witnesses 
that  you  received  four  thousand  dollars  for  your  vote." 

"  That  was  only  a  little  bubble  talk  over  a  bottle," 
laughed  Sullivan. 

"  It  is  serious  enough  to  land  you  in  jail.  I  have  a 
warrant  for  you,  but  I  don't  intend  to  stop  with  you." 

Sullivan  frowned.  "  Mr.  Haverland,  I  want  to  give 
you  a  bit  of  advice.  I've  been  in  politics  in  this  town 
for  twenty  years.  I've  been  in  the  City  Hall  three 
years,  and  it  ain't  no  Sunday-school,  I'll  admit  that, 
but  we  know  how  to  run  our  business  down  there,  and 
my  advice  to  you  is  to  run  yours  up  here,  and  don't  you 
interfere  with  us.  You'll  be  tackling  a  bigger  job  than 
you  can  handle.  You've  been  in  office  six  months,  and 
you're  a  new  broom;  wait  a  little;  later  you  won't  feel 
so  frisky." 

There  was  a  breezy  sincerity  about  Mr.  Sullivan, 
which  made  Richard  Haverland  smile. 

"  Mr.  Sullivan,  where  my  line  of  duty  takes  me  down 
to  the  Aldermanic  Chamber  I  will  follow  it,  and  I  think 
I'll  do  it  while  I'm  feeling  frisky." 

Sullivan  laughed  aloud. 

"  Your  nomination  was  a  joke,  and  you're  the  biggest 
joke  of  all." 

"  I  propose  to  begin  with  you,  Mr.  Sullivan,  though 
I  tell  you  frankly  that  I  am  after  bigger  men  than  you, 
and  if  you  are  willing  to  assist  the  State  it  is  likely  to 
remember  it  in  dealing  with  your  case." 

Sullivan  sprang  to  his  feet  with  an  oath.  "  Assist 
nothing!  Do  you  think  I'm  in  that  sort  of  business? 

10 


146  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

I  can't  waste  any  more  of  my  time  talking  with  you. 
I'm  due  at  the  City  Hall." 

The  District  Attorney  struck  his  bell.  "  I  think  they 
can  dispense  with  your  services  there  for  today.  I  want 
you  to  answer  my  question  '  yes '  or  '  no.'  Will  you 
tell  the  whole  truth  in  regard  to  the  bribery  of  the 
Aldermen  ?  " 

"  You  be  damned !  "  replied  Sullivan,  angrily. 

"  I  take  that  for  *  No,'  "  said  the  District  Attorney 
quietly.  "  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  step  into  another 
room  for  a  few  minutes  with  these  two  gentlemen." 

Sullivan  was  purple.  "  You've  played  me  a  dirty 
trick,  Mr.  District  Attorney,  but  you  will  smart  for  this. 
I've  got  friends  — " 

"  You  can  communicate  with  them  over  my  telephone 
if  you  wish,  in  regard  to  your  bail  bond.  I  shall  ask 
to  have  the  amount  fixed  at  five  thousand  dollars." 

"  I  can  furnish  bail  large  enough  to  buy  your  office 
out,"  shouted  Sullivan.  "  You  don't  know  what  you 
are  up  against." 

"  Now,  Mr.  Sullivan,  as  I  am  very  busy  today,  if  you 
will  reserve  further  comment  until  I  send  for  you  a  little 
later,  I  shall  be  much  obliged,"  said  the  District  Attor 
ney.  Sullivan  was  so  overcome  with  astonishment  and 
wrath  that  he  allowed  himself  to  be  led  away  without 
making  any  coherent  reply. 

Again  the  District  Attorney  struck  the  silver  bell  on 
his  desk,  the  doorkeeper  with  the  stony  countenance 
answered  it  as  before. 

"  Is  Mr.  Keating  waiting  in  the  office  outside?  " 

"  He  has  been  waiting  for  ten  minutes,  but  he  has  just 
sent  word  he  would  have  to  go,  unless  you  could  see  him 
at  once,  for  he  has  another  engagement." 

"  Show  him  in  at  once." 


MAIER  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE          147 

The  District  Attorney  greeted  Keating  with  just  the 
slightest  touch  of  sarcasm.  "  I  am  sorry  to  have  kept 
you  waiting,  Mr.  Keating,  for  your  time  must  be  val 
uable." 

Keating  nodded  easily,  sat  down  without  being  bidden, 
and  looked  at  him  with  curiosity.  The  District  Attor 
ney  also  looked  at  Keating  very  closely. 

Keating  was  fashionably  dressed,  a  diamond  of  bril 
liant  water  ornamented  his  scarf,  a  handsome  chain 
crossed  his  vest;  beyond  a  large  seal  ring  on  his  finger 
there  was  no  ostentatious  display  of  jewelry. 

"  However,  I'm  rather  glad  you  concluded  to  wait, 
Mr.  Keating,  for  it  saves  me  the  trouble  of  sending  out 
for  you." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right.  If  you  ever  want  to  see  me, 
just  telephone  to  me  at  my  hotel  as  you  did  today;  if 
I'm  free  I'll  drop  in  to  see  you  on  my  way  down  town. 
I  must  ask  you  to  be  a  little  short  now,  however,  for  I 
have  an  important  engagement." 

"  I  will  be  short  enough  to  suit  you.  I  telephoned 
you  because  I  thought  you  would  prefer  to  come  here 
rather  than  have  an  officer  go  to  your  hotel.  You  have 
a  family,  have  you  not?  " 

Keating  nodded  slightly,  as  if  to  say  he  might  have. 

The  District  Attorney  continued :  "  I  have  proof  that 
you  have  used  money  to  corrupt  Aldermen;  there  is  a 
warrant  out  for  your  arrest." 

"  Corrupt  Aldermen !  "  exclaimed  Keating.  "  Is  that 
a  j  oke,  Mr.  Haverland  ?  " 

"  Well,  the  purchase  of  votes  in  a  thoroughly  business 
like  way,  if  you  like  that  term  better.  But  as  it  is 
against  the  law,  and  I  have  convincing  proof  that  you 
have  been  guilty  of  the  crime,  I  intend  to  begin  with 
you,  and  bring  you  to  book  for  it." 


148  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

As  the  District  Attorney  paused,  Keating  did  not  try 
to  hide  a  sneer. 

"  I  don't  admit  anything,  Mr.  Haverland.  Of  course 
I  understand  your  position.  You've  just  been  elected 
to  this  office.  You  won't  get  another  term  unless  you 
make  a  big  name  for  yourself,  and  force  your  nomination 
on  one  or  the  other  of  the  two  parties.  I  see  your 
game." 

"  I  think,"  said  the  District  Attorney,  "  that  you 
rather  fail  to  see  my  game." 

"  Well,  say  we  admit  for  the  sake  of  argument  that 
you  are  on  the  trail  of  some  man  who  has  demanded  his 
price ;  let  us  say  for  the  sake  of  argument  that  you  have 
enough  evidence  to  convict ;  if  we  are  frank,  you  and  I, 
we  will  say  that  we  know  that  bribery  doesn't  begin  and 
end  with  our  Aldermen.  Well,  send  up  this  little  fellow 
with  a  big  hurrah.  Make  a  big  time  about  it  and  then 
forget  the  rest.  The  public  will  be  satisfied  with  the 
vindication  of  justice;  you'll  be  satisfied,  because  you 
will  have  won  your  reputation,  and  the  big  men,  the  big 
criminals,  as  you  call  them,  they  will  be  satisfied  because 
they  have  got  what  they  needed." 

"  And  how  about  the  one  or  two  poor  devils  who  get 
sent  up  ?  "  inquired  the  District  Attorney.  "  Will  they 
be  satisfied  ?  " 

"  They  won't  have  much  cause  to  complain.  They 
have  the  money.  They  spend  a  short  time  in  jail,  and 
when  they  come  out  they  will  be  taken  care  of.  They 
may  be  able  to  do  the  trick  the  next  time  without  getting 
caught." 

The  District  Attorney  leaned  back  in  his  chair  with 
a  quiet  smile.  Keating,  seated  on  the  leather-covered 
sofa  stroking  his  glossy  black  moustache  with  a  white, 


MAIER  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE          149 

well-kept  hand,  looked  around  the  room  in  a  half -bored 
way,  then  at  his  watch. 

"  Of  course  I  was  merely  citing  a  hypothetical  case 
for  the  sake  of  argument,  and  in  order  to  give  you  a 
little  advice." 

"  You  would  be  surprised  to  know  how  much  advice 
has  been  given  to  me  during  the  past  six  months,"  re 
plied  the  District  Attorney,  "  but  I  haven't  followed  it, 
and  I'm  not  going  to  begin  by  following  yours." 

Keating  smiled  his  indifference. 

"  This  bribery  matter  has  come  upon  me  rather  sud 
denly,  but  it  has  come,  and  I  intend  to  follow  it  to  the 
end.  You're  the  beginning.  I've  got  enough  evidence 
to  convict  you,  and  I  think  I  can  do  it.  Will  that 
satisfy  you?  " 

The  District  Attorney  spoke  very  quietly,  but  Keating 
actually  started.  He  started  more  because  of  the  sud 
den  flash  in  the  eyes  of  the  man  opposite  him,  than 
through  any  actual  fear,  for  he  still  felt  secure  in  the 
great  power  which  he  knew  was  behind  him. 

"  That  ought  to  satisfy  any  man,  Mr.  Haverland,  if 
you  can  do  it." 

"  I  think  I  can." 

"  Well,  admitting,  always  for  the  sake  of  argument, 
that  you  can.  I  don't  think  you  will." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  if  things  were  as  you  think  they  are,  if  I 
was  the  kind  of  a  man  you  think  I  am,  then  you  may  be 
sure  that  I  would  be  the  kind  of  a  man  to  protect  him 
self.  You  could  not  strike  at  me  without  striking  at 
men  who  stand  so  high  in  the  community  that  you  could 
not  reach  them.  You  would  be  brought  up  to  a  sharp 
halt." 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Keating,  I  think  I'll  begin  with  you." 


150  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Keating's  knowledge  of  men  told  him  that  the  man 
before  him  would  try  to  do  whatever  he  set  out  to  do, 
and  would  try  hard,  but  he  did  not  lose  a  jot  of  his  com 
posure,  or  abate  one  tittle  of  his  jaunty,  indifferent  air. 
He  rose  to  his  feet,  saying  carelessly,  "  You  say  I  am 
involved  in  some  money  dealings  with  the  Aldermen  and 
that  you  have  a  warrant  out  for  my  arrest.  Bring  it 
out;  I'll  give  bail;  but  I'll  bet  you  a  new  hat  I  never 
stand  trial." 

"  Thank  you  for  the  hint,"  replied  the  District  At 
torney.  "  I'll  see  that  your  bail  is  large." 

"  Oh,  I  won't  run  away,"  said  Keating  with  a  smile. 

"  It  is  well  to  be  on  the  safe  side,"  replied  the  District 
Attorney. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

CADWELI,    TRIES    TO    PASS    IT    TO    HAVERL.AND 

Keating,  Sullivan  and  Maier  were  arrested  and  out  on 
bail. 

The  District  Attorney  had  previously  awakened  the 
interest  of  his  fellow-townsmen  by  the  breezy  energy 
with  which  he  had  cleaned  out  the  musty  pigeon-holes 
in  the  office  of  an  incompetent  and  unfaithful  prede 
cessor  ;  now  his  name  was  in  everybody's  mouth.  Every 
body  approved  his  course,  and  asked  everybody  else  what 
his  motive  was,  and  was  given  a  hundred  different  rea 
sons.  No  one  thought  of  suggesting  the  oath  of  office 
as  the  primal  motive. 

The  morning  after  the  arrests  the  newspapers  told  the 
story  in  their  headlines: 

ARREST  OF  ALDERMEN. 

LOBBYIST    IN    LAW'S    MESHES. 

Rumors  of  Far-reaching  Rottenness. 
HAVERLAND  GOES  HIGHER  UP. 

The  newspapers  told  nothing  that  the  Respectable 
Citizen  had  not  known.  At  least  the  Respectable  Citi 
zen  said  he  had  known  it  all  along,  and  was  glad  it  had 
come  to  the  light  of  day.  The  Respectable  Citizen  read 
his  paper  with  added  zest  that  morning,  smiling  a  little 
as  he  read,  saying  to  himself: 

151 


152  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Of  course  there  is  graft  in  the  City  Hall.  There  is 
graft  everywhere.  There  is  graft  down  in  financial 
circles  where  I  go  daily.  We  are  all  grafters,  but  I  like 
this  fearless  attitude  of  Richard  Haverland.  I  under 
stand  that  he  broke  away  from  the  old  man  some  years 
ago,  and  set  out  to  make  a  name  for  himself.  By  Jove 
he's  doing  it,  too!  I  wonder  what  he  is  after?  "  And 
the  Respectable  Citizen  turned  to  the  financial  columns 
to  look  at  the  quotations  of  the  Traction  securities. 

When  Thomas  Cadwell  read  his  paper  that  morning 
he  did  more  than  scowl,  and  an  unusually  early  hour 
saw  him  entering  the  private  office  of  Samuel  Haverland, 
chewing  the  ends  of  his  dark  brown  moustache,  as  he 
always  did  when  much  annoyed. 

Old  Samuel,  who  had  already  been  at  work  for  an 
hour  or  more,  looked  up  from  his  desk  with  his  bland 
smile :  "  Good  morning,  Mr.  Cadwell !  " 

If  Cadwell  answered  this  salutation,  he  grunted  his 
answer  so  grudgingly  that  it  did  not  get  through  his 
thick  moustache. 

"  You  are  up  and  doing,  I  see,  up  and  doing  in  this 
busy  world,"  chirped  Haverland,  who,  if  ever  inclined 
to  levity,  seemed  always  to  hit  upon  the  occasion  when 
clouds  were  gathering  on  another's  brow. 

"  I  have  to  be,"  said  Cadwell.  "  Have  you  read  the 
papers  this  morning?  " 

"  I  always  read  the  papers  before  breakfast ;  you  see 
that  gives  me  the  rest  of  the  day  for  — " 

"  Then  you  have  seen  what  sort  of  a  row  your  son 
is  kicking  up,"  said  Cadwell.  "  Your  irrepressible  Dis 
trict  Attorney  is  the  talk  of  the  town." 

"  Well,  Richard  is  a  very  able  young  lawyer,"  replied 
old  Samuel. 


CAD  WELL  TRIES  TO  PASS  IT          153 

"  Haverland,"  said  Cadwell,  "  did  you  read  of  the 
arrests  which  have  been  made?  " 

"  I  read  the  head-lines." 

"  You  would  have  done  better  to  have  read  more.  He 
is  not  going  to  stop  where  he  is.  Having  got  a  taste  of 
popularity  or  notoriety,  he  is  going  in  for  Reform  with 
a  big  R.  He  is  going  higher  up." 

"  Well,  why  not?     I  like  to  see  an  able  man  succeed." 

"  But  he  may  be  too  damned  successful,"  swore  Cad- 
well. 

"  If  you  are  disturbed  by  the  activity  of  the  District 
Attorney  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  wise  to  take 
some  action  in  the  matter,"  suggested  old  Samuel  com 
posedly. 

"  That's  why  I  am  here  at  this  hour." 

"  Why  do  you  come  to  me  ?  "  inquired  Haverland. 

"  You  must  call  this  young  blood-hound  off.  He  is 
following  all  kinds  of  false  scents,  but  at  the  same  time 
he  may  unearth  something  which  will  unsettle  business. 
This  thing  must  stop  right  here !  " 

"  If  there  is  any  man  in  the  world  able  to  control  the 
District  Attorney,  I  don't  know  him,"  said  Haverland. 

"  Does  that  mean  that  you  will  take  no  steps  in  the 
matter  ?  "  asked  Cadwell. 

"  I  cannot.  You  may  be  sure,  Mr.  Cadwell,  that  if  I 
could  do  anything  for  you  I  would,  but  I  am  helpless." 

"  For  me !  "  repeated  Cadwell.  "  How  about  your 
self,  weren't  you  benefited  by  that  franchise  ?  " 

"  Decidedly,"  admitted  Haverland  frankly,  "  just  as 
much  as  any  of  the  other  stockholders." 

"  Then  you  cure  interested,"  said  Cadwell  pointedly. 
"  The  District  Attorney  claims  that  money  was  used  to 
get  that  franchise." 

"  Let  us  trust,"  replied  old  Samuel,  in  his  most  lamb- 


154  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

like  manner,  "  that  he  is  mistaken,  and  that  his  investiga 
tions  will  show  him  his  error." 

"  But  if  they  don't?  "  cried  Cadwell,  struggling  to 
keep  his  temper. 

"  If  they  do  not,"  repeated  old  Samuel,  "  why,  then 
they  won't." 

There  was  a  short  pause,  during  which  Cadwell  began 
to  swell. 

"  I  have  bought  a  few  pictures,"  said  old  Samuel. 
"  They  are  for  the  most  part  simple  subjects:  A  soft 
autumnal  by  Corot ;  a  bit  of  pasture  by  Troyon ;  it  has 
some  water  in  it  which  reminds  me  of  the  pool  where  I 
used  to  go  swimming  as  a  boy,  and  the  cows  are  standing 
in  the  water  just  as  they  do  in  fly  time.  Can't  you  come 
up  to  the  house  some  evening  — 

Thomas  Cadwell  exploded  with  wrath. 

"  Haverland,  are  you  going  back  on  me  in  this  man 
ner?" 

"  Cadwell,"  replied  old  Samuel,  "  you  know  it  was 
understood  that  you  were  to  handle  the  political  end  of 
our  affairs.  You  chose  it  yourself.  Now  if  through 
your  mismanagement  it  has  got  too  hot  for  you,  you 
can't  turn  it  over  to  me."  He  ended  with  a  warmth  he 
rarely  showed.  Then  he  looked  squarely  at  him,  adding 
quietly :  "  And  if  you  try  it  you  will  get  beaten." 

Cadwell  knew  he  was  beaten,  and  accepted  his  defeat 
with  an  assumed  laugh. 

"  I  won't  try.  I  can  paddle  my  own  canoe,  but  I 
believe  in  making  use  of  personal  influence  wherever 
possible." 

"  I  have  no  more  influence  with  the  present  District 
Attorney  than  if  J  were  a  ten-year-old  boy,"  said  Haver- 
land. 


CADWELL  TRIES  TO  PASS  IT          155 

Cadwell  got  up  and  took  his  hat.  "  I'm  something 
of  a  fighter,  there  may  be  lively  times,"  he  said. 

"  If  I  were  you,"  said  old  Haverland  guardedly, 
"  mind  you,  this  is  only  a  suggestion  as  to  what  I  would 
do  if  I  were  you  — " 

"  Well,  what  would  you  do?  "  asked  Cadwell  abruptly. 

"  I  should  be  disinclined  to  let  the  matter  get  as  far  as 
that  man  —  what's  his  name?  " 

"  Keating,"  answered  Cadwell  shortly. 

" —  As  far  as  Keating,"  repeated  old  Samuel. 

Thomas  Cadwell  lit  a  cigar,  and  stood  a  few  moments 
looking  down  thoughtfully  at  his  associate.  Haverland 
resumed  his  work  industriously,  and  through  the  halo  of 
tobacco  smoke,  Cadwell  seemed  to  be  studying  the  bumps 
of  the  old  gentleman's  head. 

"  Keating's  all  right,"  remarked  Cadwell  carelessly, 
and  then  his  large  form  disappeared  through  the  door. 

Although  Karl  Maier's  bail  bond  was  the  smallest  of 
the  three,  he  had  the  greatest  difficulty  of  the  three  in 
finding  bondsmen.  Doc'  Connor  had  cheerfully  gone 
on  the  bond  of  his  friend  Jim  Sullivan  but  had  turned 
his  back  contemptuously  on  the  man  who  had 
"  squealed."  Finally  a  friend  had  come  forward,  and 
Maier  was  able  to  walk  about  in  the  light  of  day.  After 
the  first  shock  was  over;  after  he  had  become  familiar 
with  his  picture  in  the  newspapers,  he  began  to  feel 
like  a  man  of  some  importance.  When  it  had  first 
come  out  he  had  been  ashamed  to  look  Minna  in  the 
face.  He  knew  that  Minna  could  not  have  been 
bribed  to  do  anything  against  her  conscience  or  against 
her  will,  and  he  could  not  bear  to>  meet  her  eye. 
She  made  him  tell  her  the  whole  story,  and  she  listened 
quietly  while  he  related  how  Keating  had  "  convinced  " 


156  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

him,  and  how  he  had  taken  the  "  present "  almost  be 
fore  he  knew  what  he  was  doing.  She  heard  how  he 
wanted  to  enlarge  his  business,  and  to  have  her  wear 
finer  clothes,  how  he  wanted  to  hire  a  servant  to  do  the 
hard  work,  so  that  she  might  have  white  hands  like  her 
beautiful  arms.  When  he  had  finished  she  did  not  re 
proach  him.  She  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck. 
"  Anyhow,  you  love  me,  Karl  —  but  I  would  work  hard 
with  my  hands  rather  than  have  you  go  to  jail." 

Karl  shivered  as  he  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  The  District 
Attorney,  he  is  a  kind-hearted  man." 

"  And  at  one  time  you  might  have  run  away  and  left 
me,"  she  exclaimed,  holding  him  off  at  arms-length  and 
looking  at  him  reproachfully. 

"  No,  no,  I  could  not  leave  you,  Minna.  Perhaps  if 
I  could  have  taken  you  and  the  children, —  but  no,  it  is 
better  so.  The  District  Attorney  is  a  fine  man." 

"  I  am  glad  you  did  not  run  off  like  that,"  she  said, 
drawing  him  closer  to  her.  "  I  would  rather  have  you 
near  me,  even  if  it  was  in  jail,  than  in  one  of  those  for 
eign  countries." 

"  Please  don't  talk  so  much  about  that  jail,"  whispered 
Karl.  "  I  tell  you  that  District  Attorney  has  got  a 
good  face." 

"  Let  me  see  that  money,"  she  asked  with  curiosity. 
"  I  have  never  seen  so  much  money  in  all  my  life." 

"  I  have  it  not.  The  District  Attorney  he  took  it 
away,  and  put  it  in  his  safe." 

"  Oh  my  Karl !  "  cried  his  wife,  suddenly  throwing  her 
arms  about  him  again  with  effusion.  "  I  love  you  bet 
ter  than  all  that  money.  I  would  work  hard,  yes,  I 
would  work  so  hard  that  my  arms  would  get  as  red  as 
my  hands  rather  than  you  do  that." 

"  Minna,  don't  you  feel  bad.     I  take  my  medicine  for 


CADWELL  TRIES  TO  PASS  IT          157 

this,  and  I  never  do  it  again.  When  a  man  comes  with 
his  presents  I'll  tell  him  to  go  to  hell  right  away  quick." 

The  Honorable  Mr.  Sullivan  went  about  with  his  usual 
smile,  loudly  proclaiming  his  innocence,  and  in  the  bar 
room,  among  his  intimates,  asserting  with  equal  ve 
hemence  that  he  would  never  squeal. 

Keating  continued  to  reside  in  his  comfortable  rooms 
at  the  hotel,  not  permitting  the  incident  of  his  arrest 
and  impending  trial  to  interrupt  in  any  way  the  daily 
routine  of  his  business,  whatever  its  nature. 

It  was  rumored  the  case  of  the  District  Attorney 

had  flashed  in  the  pan.  Keating  was  cool  and  confident, 
Sullivan  was  as  defiant  as  an  Irish  King,  and  it  was  said 
that  Maier,  who  had  turned  state's  evidence,  would  be  a 
poor  witness.  But  the  District  Attorney  was  undis 
turbed.  He  held  many  conferences  with  Francis 
Thayer,  and  it  suddenly  became  known  that  Keating  was 
to  be  tried  first.  Everybody  was  surprised,  for  popular 
opinion  had  slated  Maier  for  the  first  trial,  had  said  he 
would  be  convicted  on  his  own  confession  and  get  a  short 
sentence.  Sullivan  was  to  go  free  on  a  disagreement, 
and  as  for  Keating,  people  shook  their  heads  and  de 
clared  with  a  dubious  smile  "  that  Keating  would  never 
wear  stripes."  Then  came  the  rumor  that  in  a  stormy 
and  dramatic  interview  with  the  District  Attorney,  the 
Honorable  Mr.  Sullivan  had  broken  down.  This  was 
denied  vehemently  by  his  friends,  and  no  one  could  ascer 
tain  the  facts,  but  it  was  a  fact  beyond  all  question  that 
before  he  could  be  brought  to  the  bar  Keating  disap 
peared. 

Showy  Mrs.  Keating  continued  to  reside  in  her  apart 
ment  at  the  hotel.  She  rode  about  openly  in  her  auto 
mobile,  spent  as  much  time  and  money  as  ever  in  the 
shops,  and  wore  as  handsome  gowns  as  if  her  kind  and 


158  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

indulgent  husband  were  at  home  to  settle  all  the  bills. 
If  she  did  not  seem  to  feel  the  separation  keenly,  pos 
sibly  it  was  because  she  knew  that  it  was  necessary  for 
his  happiness. 

Keating's  friends,  in  the  City  Hall  and  out  of  it, 
smiled  even  in  the  face  of  the  District  Attorney  when 
they  met.  On  his  side  he  concealed  his  deep  chagrin 
and  took  up  the  cases  of  Maier  and  Sullivan. 

Karl  Maier  pleaded  guilty  at  once,  and  received  a 
short  term  of  imprisonment  in  the  State  Penitentiary, 
where  he  resided  a  repentant  and  chastened  Alderman. 

Sullivan,  red-faced,  loud-voiced  and  defiant  to  the 
last,  was  convicted,  and  retired  into  the  seclusion  of  the 
State's  Prison,  leaving  a  number  of  vociferous  mourners 
outside.  There  was  also  one  quiet  mourner  in  the  person 
of  the  man  with  the  crooked  nose.  He  was  left  like  a 
disconsolate  dog  to  nurse  his  grief  alone,  which  he  did 
in  resentful  silence,  slinking  in  the  corners  of  saloons. 

Little  by  little  the  affair  dropped  from  public  view, 
but  the  District  Attorney,  Francis  Thayer  and  a  de 
tective  spent  some  time  together  behind  closed  doors,  and 
shortly  afterwards  Thayer  started  off  on  a  pleasure 
cruise  on  his  yacht,  and  Richard  Haverland  was  left  to 
put  his  energies  into  routine  work. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

FEANCIS  THAYEB'S  QUEST 

Francis  Thayer's  yacht,  the  Sea  Foam,  was  anchored 
in  southern  waters. 

The  Sea  Foam,  like  her  owner,  was  built  of  the  best 
material,  on  slender,  graceful  lines.  Off  Hatteras  it 
had  blown  a  gale  and  the  staunch  little  craft  had  been 
tossed  about  like  a  chip,  but  the  engine  in  her  heart 
never  failed,  and  had  brought  her  safely  through  the 
storm,  through  the  smoother  waters  of  the  Antilles,  to  an 
anchorage  in  a  smiling  bay. 

It  was  early  morning,  with  the  wind  blowing  in  from 
the  sea.  Outside  the  harbor,  line  after  line  of  waves 
rose  to  break  into  crests  of  frothy  whiteness,  while  within 
the  sheltering  arms  of  the  promontories  that  enclosed  the 
harbor,  the  Sea  Foam,  her  sides  as  white  as  the  crest  of 
the  waves  outside,  rose  and  fell  gently  at  her  moorings 
with  an  idle,  soothing  motion. 

Francis  Thayer  stood  at  the  ship's  side.  His  cheek, 
browned  by  a  fortnight's  contact  with  the  sea  wind,  was 
fuller,  and  the  lines  of  fatigue  about  his  eyes  and  mouth 
had  disappeared.  He  wore  a  white  yachting  suit  and 
as  he  leaned  against  the  rail  he  appeared  to  be  the  pic 
ture  of  careless  indolence.  Thayer  had  but  one  guest 
aboard  the  Sea  Foam.  This  was  a  man  of  about  fifty, 
with  a  healthy  color,  a  slightly  arched  nose,  and  a  mous 
tache  which  would  have  been  white  but  for  the  discolora 
tion  of  nicotine.  He  was  a  man  of  retiring  habits,  little 

159 


160  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

given  to  conversation,  who  rarely  drank  and  who  never 
smoked,  using  tobacco  only  in  the  form  of  a  plug,  named 
"  Honest  John,"  a  small  quid  of  which  was  always  tucked 
away  in  one  corner  of  his  cheek.  Thayer  now  hailed 
him  as  he  stood  in  the  bow,  with  a  cheerful :  "  Well, 
Stevens,  we're  here  at  last !  "  Stevens  strolled  aft,  his 
hands  thrust  deep  in  the  pockets  of  a  heavy,  dark  blue 
serge  coat.  He  glanced  at  the  fort  which  frowned  above 
them  on  the  right,  and  then  allowed  his  eyes  to  travel 
over  the  green  waters  of  the  bay  to  the  distant  town, 
where  the  closely  grouped  houses  finally  straggled  out 
into  haciendas  in  the  interior.  Having  assured  himself 
beyond  all  contradiction  that  they  were  there,  Stevens 
gave  his  assent  by  a  short  nod. 

"  The  important  question  to  us  is,  whether  Keating  is 
here;  if  not,  we  might  just  as  well,  and  better,  be  in  any 
other  portion  of  the  globe,"  said  Thaj^er. 

With  an  ease  and  grace  acquired  by  long  practice, 
Stevens  expectorated  far  out  into  the  green  water  of  the 
bay  before  he  replied :  "  He's  here  all  right." 

The  conversation  might  have  ended  here,  had  not 
Thayer  pushed  his  guest  further. 

"  I  have  come  all  this  distance,  Stevens,  on  your  posi 
tive  assurance  that  we  should  fnd  Keating,  but  you 
have  never  told  me  your  reason  for  believing  him  to  be  at 
this  particular  place." 

"  What  day  did  we  leave  home,  the  sixth,  didn't  we  ?  " 
said  Stevens,  answering  his  own  question. 

Thayer  nodded. 

"  And  no  mail  steamer  has  passed  us  ?  " 

"  There  is  none  due  to  touch  here  until  the  twenty- 
seventh  or  eighth,"  said  Thayer. 

"  Then  Keating  will  stay  here  until  after  the  twenty- 
seventh  or  eighth,"  said  Stevens,  "  and  very  likely  for 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST     161 

some  time  longer,  for  he  is  safe  here  —  unless  — "  Ste 
vens  half  closed  his  eyes  for  a  moment  and  lapsed  into 
silence. 

"  It's  not  that  I  doubt  your  word,  Stevens,  but  before 
we  go  ashore, —  and  we  can't  do  that  until  that  sluggish 
health-officer  puts  in  his  appearance, —  I  should  like  to 
have  you  tell  me  how  you  arrive  at  your  calculation.  I 
don't  think  that  you  have  come  down  here  on  a  dead 
reckoning." 

Stevens  looked  thoughtfully  over  the  waters  of  the 
bay. 

"  When  Keating  gave  us  leg-bail,  the  District  Attor 
ney  did  not  say  a  word,  but  he  looked  a  lot.  I  did  not 
say  anything,  but  I  swore  a  lot  to  myself,  and  I  swore 
that  I'd  locate  Keating  if  I  gave  my  life  up  to  it.  I 
began  by  watching  Mrs.  Keating.  I  did  not  expect 
such  a  clever  fellow  as  Joe  Keating  would  have  a  woman 
running  after  him,  or  even  writing  letters  to  him,  if  he 
wanted  to  keep  in  the  shade,  but  I  watched  her  at  the 
same  time  I  watched  others.  She  was  just  as  slick  and 
lady-like  as  could  be.  She  did  not  seem  to  have  any 
thing  in  the  world  to  hide.  By  and  by  I  noticed  that 
she  was  going  down  to  a  little  Jew  banking  firm.  It  is 
a  firm  with  a  shop  just  at  the  edge  of  the  financial 
centre,  and  does  a  business  in  bullion  and  old  coins,  but 
it  also  has  a  pretty  extended  trade  in  the  West  Indies, 
South  America  and  I  don't  know  where  all.  Mrs.  Keat 
ing  would  always  take  down  with  her  a  silver  plate,  or  a 
pitcher,  or  something  of  that  sort,  and  come  away  with 
out  it.  What  was  more  natural  than  that  she  should  be 
in  need  of  money,  and  should  prefer  to  sell  these  things 
outright  rather  than  take  'cm  to  a  vulgar  pawn-shop? 
That  is  all  right,  only  I  happened  to  know  that  she  was 

spending  more  money  in  the  shops  in  an  afternoon  than 
11 


162  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

she  could  have  got  from  the  things  in  a  month,  so  I 
says  to  Bill,  that's  me,  '  Bill  Stevens,  she's  sending  out 
money,  and  not  taking  it  in.  Now  where  is  she  sending 
it  to?  '  I  found  out  that  once  a  month  a  letter  is  sent 
from  that  little  firm  of  Jew  bankers  to  the  firm  of 
Yzquiera  Hermanos  of  this  place.  That  letter  carries  a 
loving  message  from  Mrs.  Keating  in  the  shape  of  a  bill- 
of-exchange  to  the  order  of  Williani  Walker,  but  if 
Keating  doesn't  spend  that  money  I'll  give  up  this  busi 
ness,  and  go  to  keeping  chickens." 

"  Very  likely  he  is  here,"  said  Thayer,  "  and  as  there 
is  no  extradition  treaty  which  covers  his  offence,  he  can 
stay  here,  I  suppose,  as  long  as  he  wishes." 

"  Mr.  Thayer,  you  give  me  a  few  of  your  sailor-boys, 
and  I  will  guarantee  to  bring  you  Joe  Keating  by  to 
morrow  night." 

"  That  would  be  a  violation  of  international  law ; 
you  know  you  are  an  arm  of  the  law  and  are  bound  to 
uphold  it,"  replied  Thayer  with  a  quizzical  smile. 

"  There  isn't  any  law  down  here  worth  upholding, 
and  they'll  keep  Keating  as  long  as  he  has  American 
dollars  to  spend." 

"  If  the  dollars  should  run  out  they  might  be  willing 
to  part  with  him,"  mused  Thayer. 

"  The  dollars  won't  run  out.  He  can  keep  out  of  the 
way  forever.  You  give  me  six  of  your  men,  and  I'll 
get  him,  even  if  the  local  authorities  call  out  their  army 
to  protect  him.  We  could  sail  the  Sea  Foam  right  out 
under  the  guns  of  that  old  fort.  It's  as  harmless  as  an 
old  hound  with  rotten  fangs." 

Thayer  looked  up  at  the  decaying  fortress  with  gen 
erations  of  moss  on  its  crumbling  walls.  "  I  think  we 
could,  but  we  will  try  some  other  way." 

"  What  other  way  is  there?  " 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST     163 

Thayer  made  no  direct  reply.  "  Here  comes  the 
doctor,"  he  said,  "  later,  we  will  go  ashore  and  look  the 
ground  over." 

It  was  five  o'clock  when  the  two  men  set  foot  in  the 
town.  The  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants  had 
awakened  from  their  afternoon  siesta,  but  not  to  any 
unnatural  exertion.  The  most  animated  creature  within 
the  immediate  range  of  vision  was  a  small  mouse-colored 
mule  who  stood  on  the  dock,  swinging  a  short  tail  and  a 
long  ear  with  patient  regularity  at  a  cloud  of  persistent 
flies.  The  old  tram-car,  to  which  he  was  attached,  was 
also  waiting  patiently  for  passengers,  but  the  travellers 
were  only  too  glad  to  stretch  their  muscles  by  walking. 
No  one  could  have  mistaken  their  nationality  as  they 
walked  up  the  narrow  street,  Thayer  in  his  white  clothes, 
Stevens  in  his  double-breasted  coat  of  heavy  serge. 
Each  bore  the  unmistakable  trade-mark  of  the  American. 

A  walk  of  a  few  minutes  brought  them  to  the  plaza, 
where  stood  the  hotel  d'Inglaterra,  the  only  hostelry  of 
any  pretense  of  which  the  town  could  boast.  It  was  a 
low  building,  dirty  pink  in  color,  with  a  few  tables  of 
battered  tin  placed  outside  the  door  for  the  benefit  of 
those  customers  who  preferred  to  take  their  refreshments 
on  the  sidewalk.  It  was  an  unhappy  place  for  any 
traveller  of  fastidious  tastes  to  patronize,  and  could  be 
called  a  domicile  only  in  comparison  with  the  low-browed 
adobe  huts  which  faced  it  on  the  plaza. 

The  front  door  of  this  otherwise  inhospitable  hotel 
stood  wide  open,  but  there  was  no  one  to  welcome  the 
coming  guests  except  a  half-clad  child,  who,  calmly  in 
different  to  the  gaze  of  strangers,  was  exposing  its  belly 
with  the  immodesty  of  innocence. 

Thayer  and  Stevens  entered  a  room  as  unclean  and  as 
unattractive  as  the  outside  promised,  and  found  a  rather 


164  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

comely  woman,  plump  and  dark,  who  greeted  them  with 
voluble  civility.  She  was  knitting  some  sort  of  gay 
colored  gear  for  the  head,  and  smoking  a  cigar.  She 
laid  aside  her  work  and  put  down  her  cigar  to  receive 
them  politely.  When  Thayer  addressed  her  in  Spanish 
her  face  wreathed  itself  in  smiles  and  she  broke  out  into 
a  stream  of  language.  Stevens  could  not  understand  a 
word  of  the  jargon,  but  he  saw  that  she  was  profusely 
polite,  and  knew  that,  whether  she  was  proprietress  or 
servant,  Thayer  was  winning  her  regard.  Stevens  set 
her  down  as  the  mistress,  for  he  noticed  that  the  settings 
in  the  rings  on  her  chubby  fingers  were  of  some  value, 
and  although  her  finger-nails  were  not  clean,  there  was  a 
piece  of  handsome  lace  at  her  plump  throat. 

Thayer  pointed  to  a  court-yard  where  some  tables 
were  laid  in  the  cool  of  the  shade,  and  their  hostess  led 
the  way  smilingly.  They  found  themselves  in  a  rect 
angle,  with  a  bit  of  green  turf  and  a  shallow  fountain  in 
the  centre,  and  some  scraggy  date  palm  trees  at  the  cor 
ners.  This  court  was  entirely  enclosed  by  the  four  sides 
of  the  building,  with  a  double  tier  of  bed  rooms  opening 
upon  it.  Many  of  their  green  blinds  were  drawn  up  to 
admit  the  air,  thus  disclosing  the  rooms  and  their  occu 
pants  with  that  happy  frankness  incident  to  warm  cli 
mates. 

The  place  was  noisy  and  uninviting.  Some  loud- 
voiced  young  women  were  conversing  on  the  balcony 
just  above  their  heads,  and  an  enormous  cockatoo  of 
brilliant  plumage  was  holding  a  furious  monologue  from 
the  top  of  one  of  the  palms.  From  time  to  time  a  pair 
of  black  eyes  would  peer  over  the  balustrade  at  the 
Americans  beneath,  and  then  suddenly  disappear,  fol 
lowed  by  a  burst  of  laughter,  to  be  answered  by  a  volley 
of  squawking  from  the  bird  in  the  tree.  A  waiter  with 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST  165 

a  dirty  napkin  served  them  with  much  alacrity.  Ste 
vens  put  his  soup  away  with  perfect  stolidness,  while 
Thayer  ate  his  as  leisurely  as  if  he  were  dining  at  a 
fashionable  restaurant  at  home.  There  was  but  one 
other  customer  in  the  place,  an  elderly  gentleman  with 
a  skin  like  brown  parchment,  and  a  gray  goatee,  who 
looked  at  them  with  apparent  curiosity  through  the 
smoke  of  his  cigarette  out  of  a  pair  of  beady  eyes. 

"  Well,  Stevens,  a  gentleman  answering  the  descrip 
tion  of  your  friend  Keating  is  here,"  said  Thayer. 

"  Did  she  tell  you  so?  "  asked  Stevens  with  a  jerk  of 
the  head. 

"  He  lives  here  on  the  fat  of  the  land ;  he  will  come 
in  to  dinner  shortly.  That  is  his  table  over  there  with 
the  cleanest  cloth." 

"  I  don't  envy  him  either  the  fat  or  the  lean  of  this 
land ;  it  would  be  a  charity  to  kidnap  him  and  carry  him 
off  to  the  United  States,"  replied  Stevens,  grimly. 

Thayer  made  no  direct  reply.  "  Wait  and  you  will 
see  him  come  in ;  he  is  the  star  boarder  down  here.  Our 
fair  hostess  thinks  him  some  American  potentate  who 
has  been  deposed,  and  who  has  taken  refuge  here  to 
await  a  change  in  the  political  weather." 

Before  their  soup  plates  had  been  removed  Keating 
entered  the  court-yard  with  an  easy  swagger.  At  sight 
of  his  two  countrymen  he  stopped  abruptly,  and  his  jaw 
dropped  with  amazement.  Thayer  greeted  him  pleas 
antly. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Keating." 

Joseph  Keating  hesitated  a  moment,  then  he  walked 
up  to  them  and  asked. 

"  What  are  you  two  doing  here  ?  " 

"  Dining,  won't  you  join  us?  "  replied  Thayer. 

The  two  men  looked  at  each  other  for  a  few  moments. 


166  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Stevens  quietly  enjoyed  the  situation.  Keating  was 
dressed  in  white  from  hat  to  shoes;  he  was  as  brown  as 
a  Spaniard,  and  had  already  begun  to  grow  stout. 

"  What  brings  you  to  this  spot?  "  he  demanded  again. 

"  May  I  ask  what  brought  you?  "  inquired  Thayer. 

"  My  own  pleasure." 

"  We  also  took  pleasure  in  coming ;  did  you  not  see 
our  boat  in  the  bay  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  It  may  be  there  for  some  time ;  you  can  go  down 
and  take  a  look  at  it." 

"  If  I  don't  talk  United  States  for  a  time,  I'll  bust. 
I'll  dine  with  you."  There  was  a  touch  of  defiance  in 
Keating's  tone,  and  he  took  a  vacant  chair. 

"  What  will  you  have  to  drink?  "  asked  Thayer,  tak 
ing  up  a  greasy  little  wine-card. 

"  Wait,"  said  Keating.  "  I  will  order  the  wines,  also 
the  dinner,  for  you  are  my  guests." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Thayer,  "  but  I  invited 
you." 

"  Any  Americans  who  come  to  this  town  must  be  my 
guests.  I  own  the  place,"  replied  Keating.  He  gave 
a  lordly  wave  of  the  hand,  and  a  waiter  appeared.  "  I'd 
give  ten  dollars  for  an  American  cocktail,"  sighed  Keat 
ing,  "  but  they  can't  hit  it  off  down  here.  I've  taught 
them  the  best  I  knew,  and  we  will  give  you  the  nearest 
result." 

"  Tres  cock-tailes,  Muy  presto."  Keating  held  up 
three  fingers. 

The  waiter,  with  a  flourish,  smiled  and  bowed.  "Si, 
Si,  Senor,  comprendo." 

"Well,  go  and  get  them  if  you  comprendo,"  and 
Keating  clapped  his  hands.  The  waiter  threw  his  dirty 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST  167 

napkin  over  his  shoulder,  and  flew  to  execute  the  order 
of  his  hero. 

"  The  worst  thing  about  this  place  is  the  language ;  I 
have  no  use  for  it,"  explained  Keating.  "  They  call  a 
scraggy  little  chicken  a  polio,  and  bread  is  pan,  what  do 
you  think  of  that?  I'll  give  you  a  broiled  polio  and 
some  frejoles1,  they  are  good ;  then  some  salad.  Here 
are  our  drinks.  They  have  named  these  cock-tables 
Americanos,  and  already  the  natives  have  caught  on  to 
them.  That  old  duffer  over  there  got  a  beautiful  jag 
the  other  evening.  Well,  here's  to  crime !  "  He  caught 
up  his  glass  with  an  air  of  bravado  and  nodded  at  Ste 
vens.  "  And  here's  the  health  of  both  of  you  gentle 
men.  I  hope  you  have  had  a  pleasant  journey,  and  may 
you  have  a  safe  return !  " 

Keating  put  his  glass  down  empty,  and  his  eye  met 
Thayer's  boldly.  He  knew  what  had  brought  them 
there,  and  in  his  manner  made  no  concealment  of  it. 

"  I  may  be  here  for  some  time,"  said  Thayer,  acknowl 
edging  the  toast. 

"  The  longer  the  better,"  replied  Keating  jovially. 
"  Have  another  of  my  cock-tailes." 

"  No,  I  thank  you." 

"  You  will  take  one  ?  "  said  Keating,  turning  to  Stev 
ens. 

"  One  is  enough  for  me,"  was  the  short  reply. 

"  I'll  have  to  take  two  more  myself.  If  I  don't  get 
my  three  cocktails  before  dinner  I  have  no  appetite  at 
all." 

"  You  won't  be  able  to  do  that  long  in  this  climate," 
said  Stevens  dryly. 

"  Due  cocktailes,"  said  Keating,  holding  up  two  fin 
gers. 

The  waiter  had  studied  his  patron,  and,  having  them 


168  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

all  prepared,  set  them  before  him  with  much  ceremony, 
one  at  a  time. 

"  Now  hustle  and  bring  us  this,"  said  Keating,  after 
wiping  from  his  moustache  the  last  fragrant  drops  of  his 
favorite  beverage.  He  handed  the  waiter  a  slip  of  paper 
upon  which  he  had  written  the  order,  carefully  copied 
from  the  bill-of-fare.  The  man  disappeared  like  a  flash. 
"  I've  got  him  trained,"  Keating  explained  with  a  laugh. 
"  I  hand  him  out  English  in  simple  little  chunks,  and 
let  him  do  the  wrestling.  It's  wonderful  how  quick  they 
catch  on  when  it's  a  question  of  money,  and  money  talks 
down  here  just  as  it  does  everywhere." 

"  And  you,  having  plenty  of  money,  leisure,  good 
health,  and  being  a  resourceful  gentleman,  must  be  en 
joying  life  to  the  very  top  notch,"  suggested  Thayer, 
sipping  a  glass  of  red  wine.  "  Who  are  your  most 
agreeable  associates  ?  " 

"  Associates ! "  laughed  Keating.  "  I  have  none. 
That  waiter,  and  the  bird  in  the  tree  are  the  two  smartest 
ones  down  here.  That  old  gentleman  shouts  his  lan 
guage  at  me  as  if  I  was  deaf,  so  I  fight  shy  of  him." 

"  Then  life  is  not  exciting  here.  You  would  not  ad 
vise  me  to  stay  a  month  ?  " 

"  Exciting !  Say,  when  I  get  particularly  low  I  go 
out  in  the  plaza  and  cuss  that  old  statue  of  Bolliver  just 
to  warm  up.  That's  the  most  exciting  thing  I  do. 
They've  got  a  gambling  house  across  the  way.  I  tried 
my  hand  over  there,  but  they  would  not  let  me  bet  what 
I  wanted  to,  and  they  all  smelt  so  of  garlic,  I  quit.  I 
only  lost  ten  pesos  the  whole  time  I  was  in  there.  They 
have  a  fight  there  every  night  over  a  few  silver  dollars. 
I  tried  to  get  the  Alcalde  —  that's  the  main  guy  of  the 
town  —  to  have  the  j  oint  pulled  as  disreputable. 
There's  a  dance-hall  further  along,  which  is  worse. 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST  169 

'  Have  them  both  closed  up  tight,'  said  I,  giving  him  the 
wink.  He  opened  his  eyes  wide,  raised  his  hands  to 
Heaven,  and  swore  that  it  was  as  straight  a  game  as 
ever  you  played.  He  talks  a  little  English,  which  he 
has  picked  up  from  travelers  like  myself.  I  tried  to  get 
it  into  his  head  that  the  pesos  I  had  lost  did  not  cut  any 
ice  with  me,  but  if  he  would  close  them  up  he  could  make 
them  pay  what  was  right  to  open  up  again.  It  took  me 
the  longest  time  to  drill  the  idea  into  his  nut,  and  when 
he  did  grasp  it,  he  looked  at  me  as  helpless  as  a  baby. 
*  But,  Senor,  they  no  pay.'  Think  of  that !  And  he 
could  be  the  whole  thing,  oh !  so  easy.  They  haven't  any 
organization  or  enterprise." 

Keating  had  been  drinking  steadily  during  the  meal, 
and  the  unfortunate  state  of  affairs  in  the  town  now 
seemed  doubly  unfortunate. 

"  With  your  experience  and  energy  you  should  organ 
ize  the  town,  Mr.  Keating.  It  is  a  virgin  field  for  your 
genius,"  suggested  Thayer. 

"  It  wouldn't  pay  me  to  do  it ;  they  are  a  cheap  lot 
of  skates,  Thayer;  they're  not  worth  it.  Still,  I  would 
do  it,  just  for  the  occupation,  only  I  don't  seem  to  have 
the  energy  any  more.  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  I'm 
afraid  I'm  going  to  pieces.  It  isn't  what  I  drink,  for 
I  could  always  hold  my  share.  It  must  be  the  climate." 

"  You  do  not  adapt  yourself  to  the  climate,"  said 
Thayer. 

"  Yes  I  do,"  maintained  Keating.  "  I  wear  these 
clothes,  and  I  sleep  on  one  of  those  beds  with  nothing 
between  me  and  the  springs  but  a  half-inch  matress,  and 
with  a  white  spread  over  me.  My  back's  broken  by  it. 
The  climate  does  not  adapt  itself  to  me,  that's  what's 
the  matter.  Here  it  is  January,"  he  went  on  with  ex 
treme  disgust,  "  and  we  are  in  our  summer  togs.  What 


170  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

a  climate !  Up  home  it  is  real  winter ;  white,  cold  weath 
er!  With  me  in  my  furs,  up  the  road  I'd  go  flying  in 
my  cutter.  The  first  one  to  the  road-house  gets  the 
magnum!  Many  a  time  Joe  Keating  got  it,  and  then 
there  were  other  bottles  to  follow,  and  then  the  hot  punch. 
Say,  you  can  drink  up  there  and  never  feel  it,  but 
here  — •"  Keating  poured  down  a  glass  of  wine  — "  here 
it  gets  you.  I  don't  often  talk  like  this,  but  to-night 
I've  got  to  talk.  By  God !  Thayer,  I  know  you.  I  know 
you'd  like  to  have  it  in  for  me,  but  I've  got  to  talk  the 
good  old  American  tongue  to  some  one.  I  haven't  used 
six  words  of  it  to  any  one  who  could  understand  me 
since  I  came  to  this  Godforsaken  hole." 

Thayer  rose  from  the  table.  "  Keating,  I  do  under 
stand  you.  You're  a  very  sick  man.  Anyone  would 
be  in  your  place.  You've  got  nostalgia.  It's  a  bad 
complaint,  and  there  is  a  worse  outlook  for  you.  You're 
drinking  too  much  for  this  hot  climate.  I  advise  you  to 
pull  up." 

Keating  shook  his  head.  "  There's  nothing  else  to  do 
but  drink,  and  talk  to  the  bird,  and  swear  at  Bolliver.  I 
must  drink !  " 

Thayer  inclined  his  head  politely.  "  Stevens  and  I 
are  now  going  aboard  our  yacht  for  the  night.  We 
shall  see  you  some  time  to-morrow,  I  hope." 

Keating  looked  at  them  closely  for  a  moment,  and 
then  said :  "  I  know  I'm  drunk,  Thayer,  but  I  know 
what  I'm  about.  I  know  what  you  are  about,  too!  I 
know  what  you  are  here  for,  all  right.  Came  down  to 
see  your  old  friend  Keating,  didn't  you?  I  knew  what 
the  law  was  before  I  picked  out  this  place;  though  I 
did  not  know  how  infernally  lonesome  it  was  going  to 
be.  Just  the  same  I  tell  you,  Thayer,  and  I  tell  you  too, 
Stevens  —  God  bless  you,  Stevens  —  that  I'm  glad  to 


FRANCIS  THAYER'S  QUEST  171 

see  you.  I'd  be  glad  to  see  the  devil  if  I  could  talk  to 
him,  and  I'm  just  as  glad  to  see  you.  I  welcome  you 
here,  just  as  I  would  welcome  anyone  else.  Why,  I  take 
up  with  a  couple  of  coons.  I'd  take  them  in  with  open 
arms  if  they  could  talk  white  man's  language.  You 
fellows  stay  just  as  long  as  you  want  to  —  the  longer 
the  better.  You  shall  dine  here  every  night  at  my  ex 
pense.  I  can  afford  to  entertain  you  right,  and  when 
you  get  ready  to  go  home,  you  go;  but  you  go  without 
me.  I  tell  you  one  thing,  and  I  tell  it  to  you  now  at  the 
start :  He  may  stay  here  until  he  rots,  he  may  drink  him 
self  to  death  here,  but  Joe  Keating  doesn't  go  back  on 
his  friends." 

"  Don't  you  suppose  I  knew  what  the  law  was,  too?  " 
replied  Thayer  with  a  quiet  smile.  "  Good  night." 

"  Good  night  to  you,"  answered  Keating  with  a  slight 
laugh. 

As  they  turned  away  they  heard  his  voice  to  the 
waiter:  "  Uno  cocktaile  as  a  night  cap,"  and  then  they 
passed  out  through  the  low-studded  room.  Thayer 
threw  some  gold  pieces  down  before  the  hostess  behind 
the  counter.  "  Remember,  I  have  paid  for  everything 
to-night;  do  not  charge  it  to  him,"  he  said,  with  a  motion 
of  the  head. 

"  I  will  remember,"  she  replied  with  a  smile.  "  The 
American  lords  have,  I  hope,  dined  well." 

"  Marvellously  well,"  assented  Thayer. 

The  two  men  walked  off  towards  the  pier;  Stevens 
with  his  right  hand  deep  in  his  pocket  fingered  a  pair  of 
handcuffs  lovingly.  "  So  easy,"  he  whispered  to  him 
self.  Thayer,  with  his  coat  thrown  back  to  the  evening 
breeze,  whistled  an  air  from  a  light  opera.  Once  he 
looked  back  and  in  the  moonlight  which  shone  very  white 
on  the  plaza,  he  saw  the  silhouette  of  Keating,  shaking  a 
fist  at  the  statue  of  Bolivar. 


CHAPTER  XX 

ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM. 

Every  evening  at  the  same  hour  the  agreeable  Mr. 
Thayer,  the  taciturn  Mr.  Stevens,  and  the  homesick  and 
rather  bibulous  Mr.  Keating  dined  together  at  the  Hotel 
d'Inglaterra. 

Their  fair  hostess  had  deepened  the  color  of  her  cheek, 
and  every  evening  dressed  herself  in  her  very  best,  with 
a  great  deal  of  lace  about  her  neck  and  shoulders.  Al 
though  she  was  a  little  forgetful  as  to  the  extreme  tips 
of  her  shapely  fingers,  she  adorned  her  hands  with  all  the 
rings  she  possessed.  She  frequently  left  a  white  sprink 
ling  of  powder  across  the  bridge  of  her  nose,  and  she 
had  a  coral-lipped  smile  for  the  Senor  Thayer  on  every 
occasion.  Although  she  liked  Thayer  the  better,  she  had 
another  smile  for  Senor  Keating  also,  for  he  was  a  fine 
gentleman,  and  oh!  so  free  with  his  gold!  She  knew 
that  she  was  good  looking,  and  felt  that  she  was  a  lady. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  dinner  hour  Keating,  warmed 
by  wine,  would  regularly  uncork  the  vials  of  his  home 
sickness  and  discontent. 

"  I'm  an  active,  full-blooded  man,  and  it  drives  me 
wild  to  see  the  way  they  do  things  down  here,  yet  when 
I  take  hold  of  anything  I  soon  get  tired,  and  find  myself 
giving  it  up  just  as  they  do.  I  thought  of  starting  a 
little  game  myself,  just  for  excitement.  I  have  never 
done  that  sort  of  thing  at  home.  When  I  was  a  young 
man  I  once  wrote  sheets  for  a  man  at  the  track,  that's 

172 


ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM  173 

all.  So  I  opened  up  here.  Everybody  seemed  to  be 
afraid  of  me ;  they  wouldn't  come  in  and  play,  though  I 
had  a  palace  compared  to  the  other,  and  would  have 
given  them  a  fair  game,  while  the  other  is  crooked.  But 
somehow  they  were  leery  of  me.  The  Alcalde  did  risk  a 
few  dollars,  out  of  friendship,  and  one  or  two  of  the 
girls  came  in,  but  I  wouldn't  take  their  money.  I  had 
to  close  up.  Nothing  doing.  I'm  getting  to  be  a  piece 
of  dry  rot.  I'll  lose  all  my  strength  of  character  if  this 
keeps  up." 

One  evening,  the  last  of  several  spent  in  this  kind  of 
entertainment,  Thayer  got  up  from  the  table  a  little 
earlier  than  usual. 

"  We  are  going  to  sail  the  first  thing  in  the  morning, 
Keating,  so  we  shall  have  to  say  goodbye  to-night." 

A  shade  of  disappointment  fell  over  Keating's  face; 
he  had  begun  to  like  Thayer. 

"  I  thought  that  you  were  going  to  stay  a  long  time," 
he  remarked  lightly. 

"  We  are  going  to  take  a  little  run  down  the  coast." 

"  Can't  stand  it  here  any  longer,  eh  ?  "  laughed  Keat 
ing.  "  Well,  I  knew  how  it  would  be.  I  am  going,  my 
self,  after  the  receipt  of  my  next  remittance." 

"  Are  you  ?  "  remarked  Thayer  lightly. 

"  Yes,  I  need  a  change ;  but  I  shall  choose  a  place 
where  there  is  no  treaty ;  you  know,  Thayer,"  and  Keat 
ing  laughed  again. 

"  It  will  be  the  same  life  wherever  you  go,"  replied 
Thayer;  *'  just  the  same  dead  monotony." 

"  Perhaps  I  shall  see  you  again,"  suggested  Keating. 

"  Possibly."  There  was  a  slight  pause,  then  Thayer 
asked:  "  Why  not  come  with  us  for  a  week?  " 

"  Thayer,"  remarked  Keating,  "  I'm  sober  to-night, 
but  anyway  you  could  not  take  me  in.  You  are  a  good 


174  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

fellow,  Thayer,  and  I've  enjoyed  your  society.  I  don't 
care  what  your  game  is.  I  like  you  as  long  as  you  don't 
fool  me,  and  I  don't  mean  you  shall.  If  I  go  out  in  that 
yacht  of  yours,  and  you  get  out  in  blue  water,  do  you 
think  that  I  don't  know  where  you  will  head  for?  The 
water  outside  is  blue,  and  the  water  of  the  bay  is  green. 
I  may  be  blue,  and  homesick  as  an  old  tom-cat  for  his 
alley,  but  I'm  not  green  enough  to  take  a  sail  in  your 
toy  boat.  Goodbye,  Thayer,  and  good  luck." 

"  Wouldn't  you  like  to  go  back  ?  "  asked  Stevens  at 
his  elbow,  his  fingers  working  in  his  pocket. 

Keating's  eyes  flashed.  "  Would  I  ?  I'd  give  that 
to  go  back  to-morrow,"  and  he  stretched  out  his  right 
hand.  "  But  not  with  you,  Stevens,"  he  added  with  a 
laugh. 

Thayer  put  in  a  word  with  a  quiet  smile.  "  I  will 
take  you  down  the  coast  as  far  as  you  like,  Keating. 
I'll  land  you  anywhere  you  wish,  or  I'll  bring  you  back 
here.", 

Keating  looked  at  him  in  silence,  studying  him  care- 
fully. 

"  I'll  bring  you  back  here  in  a  week  or  ten  days,  just 
as  you  say.  You  had  better  join  us,  Keating;  the 
change  will  not  hurt  you." 

"  Thayer,"  said  Keating  slowly,  "  I've  been  up  against 
a  good  many  men  in  my  life,  and  I'll  trust  you.  I'll  go 
with  you.  What  time  do  you  sail?  " 

"  Early ;  better  come  aboard  to-night.  We'll  put  you 
up  cosily." 

"  All  right,  old  man,  I  will.  Wait  until  I  pack  my 
case." 

The  Sea  Foam  was  a  pleasant  habitation  in  smooth 
water,  and  they  were  favored  by  the  weather.  They 
stopped  in  at  several  ports,  but  after  a  day  on  shore 


ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM  175 

Keating  would  tire  of  it,  and  be  glad  to  get  back  on 
board.  "  Give  me  motion,"  he  exclaimed.  "  The  Sea 
Foam  is  good  enough  for  me." 

He  always  declared  that  he  had  the  trip  of  his  life  on 
the  little  vessel,  and  that  Thayer  was  a  gentleman. 

It  was  two  weeks  before  they  got  back  to  the  port  of 
departure  and  ran  in  through  the  narrow  mouth  of  the 
bay. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  the  afternoon ;  the  sky  was 
dark ;  on  the  horizon  sharp  flashes  of  lightning  played 
intermittently,  while  a  low  grumbling  far  off  among  a 
bank  of  black  clouds  forewarned  the  coming  of  a  storm. 

The  Sea  Foam  was  anchored  safely  under  the  guns  of 
the  decrepit  fort,  while  the  three  men  sat  in  the  wicker 
chairs  on  deck,  and  watched  the  rising  of  the  tempest. 
The  air,  sultry  and  oppressive,  weighed  so  heavily  upon 
them  that  all  three  were  silent.  Finally  Keating  tossed 
a  half-consumed  cigar  into  the  sea,  and  looked  mourn 
fully  in  the  direction  of  the  statue  of  Bolivar  which,  the 
size  of  a  toy  soldier,  was  just  visible  on  the  distant  plaza. 

"  I  can  understand  your  anxiety  to  visit  your  old 
friend  again.  I  will  send  you  in  as  soon  as  the  rain 
passes,"  said  Thayer. 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Keating.  After  a  few  minutes' 
silence  he  turned  to  his  host.  "  Thayer,  you're  a  gentle 
man.  It  takes  one  gentleman  to  know  how  to  treat  an 
other." 

"  Thank  you,  Keating,"  replied  Thayer. 

"  You  are  going  away  to-morrow,"  Keating  contin 
ued. 

Thayer  nodded. 

"  You're  going  away  to-morrow,  and  before  you  go  I 
want  to  ask  you,  now,  between  gentlemen,  what's  your 
game?" 


176  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Thayer  was  thoughtful  for  a  moment  while  he  looked 
at  Keating,  and  there  was  the  look  in  his  eye  which  al 
ways  puzzled  Keating. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Thayer  frankly ;  "  but  here  is 
the  squall ;  let  us  get  under  cover." 

They  retreated  to  the  handsomely  furnished  little 
cabin,  while  Stevens  went  for'ard  among  the  men. 

"  I  will  tell  you  my  game,  Keating,"  repeated  Thayer. 
"  I  am  glad  to  have  you  ask  it,  for  I  really  want  you 
to  know  what  it  is.  The  other  day  I  took  a  run  up  to 
the  capital  on  a  little  matter  of  business,  and  now  I'm 
going  back  to  the  United  States  on  the  same  business. 
I'm  going  to  leave  Stevens  here  with  you  until  I  get  back, 
unless  you  want  to  go  back  with  us." 

"  Not  on  your  life !  "  said  Keating  with  perfect  good 
nature. 

"  If  you  should  go  back  now,  you  will  get,  perhaps, 
two  or  three  years,  and  then  you  can  come  out  with  a 
clean  slate,  and  you  can  keep  it  clean  if  you  wish.  You 
stay  here  and  you  will  rot.  You  will  go  to  pieces  like  a 
ship  that's  beached  on  the  sand." 

Keating  shrugged  his  shoulders,  but  said  nothing. 

"  And  what  is  your  life  here  ?  You  had  far  better 
kill  yourself  with  drink  sooner  than  later.  You  are  ex 
iled  for  life.  You  can  never  get  back  unless  you  are 
brought  back,  extradited  under  some  treaty ;  and  there 
will  be  such  a  treaty,  Keating,  as  sure  as  you  are  sitting 
there.  Some  day,  before  long,  we  will  have  such  a 
treaty  with  all  these  countries,  and  then  there  will  be  no 
haven  for  men  who,  like  you,  have  been  guilty  — " 
Thayer  paused  for  a  moment  — "  guilty  of  these  little 
indiscretions." 

"  Well,  you  haven't  got  your  treaty  yet,  and  until 
you  do  I'm  not  going  to  worry,"  replied  Keating  easily. 


ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM  177 

"  I'll  stay  here,  or  I'll  go  somewhere  else,  but  I'll  take 
care  to  be  safe." 

"  I  will  follow  you  wherever  you  go,"  replied  Thayer. 
"  Some  day  you  will  wake  up  and  find  that  you  can  be 
extradited,  and  then  you  will  have  the  whole  thing  be 
fore  you,  when  3^ou  might  have  had  it  behind  you ;  that 
is  what  I  want  to  impress  upon  your  mind." 

"  It  will  cost  you  a  lot  of  money,"  remarked  Keating. 

"  I've  got  the  money,"  said  Thayer. 

"  It  will  take  a  lot  of  your  time." 

"  I'll  give  the  time." 

Keating  looked  at  him  strangely.  "  Do  you  get  any 
pleasure  in  doing  this,  in  staying  down  here  in  this  dead 
place,  when  you  might  be  at  home  having  a  good  time?  " 

"  No,  I  dislike  it ;  I  tell  you  frankly,  I  hate  it." 

Keating  smiled. 

"  But  you  may  be  absolutely  sure,  Keating,  that  I 
shall  do  it." 

"  But  I  don't  understand,"  cried  Keating.  "  Why 
should  you  have  it  in  for  me  so  hard  ?  " 

"  I  have  not '  got  it  in  for  you.'  " 

"  Yes,  you  have,  you  must  have.  You  swear  you 
will  keep  after  me  until  you  get  me,  if  it  takes  years. 
It  will  be  as  hard  on  you  as  it  is  on  me." 

"  No,  it  won't,  for  I  shall  not  go  to  pieces  under  it." 

"  Why  not  ?  You  will  have  to  eat  the  same  kind  of 
food.  You  will  have  to  drink  the  same  kind  of  booze. 
I'm  stronger  than  you.  I  guess  you  will  go  to  pieces 
down  here  before  I  do." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Thayer ;  "  wait  and  see." 

Keating  got  up,  and  walked  up  and  down  the  soft 
carpet  of  the  little  cabin.  "  Tell  me  what  it  is,  for  I 
can't  follow  you.  I  know  you're  square,  and  that  you 
play  fair.  You  say  you  will  hound  me  to  the  end,  and 


178  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

I  know  you're  no  quitter.  I  ought  to  hate  you,  but  I 
don't;  damn  it,  I  can't  help  liking  you.  Still,  you've 
got  something  hidden;  tell  me  on  the  dead  level,  now, 
what  is  there  in  it  for  you  ?  " 

Thayer  lit  a  fragrant  little  cigar  and,  blowing  out  the 
smoke,  said  carelessly :  "  You  would  not  understand, 
Keating." 

Keating  turned  on  him  quickly. 

"  How  do  you  know  I  would  not  understand.  Why 
don't  you  try  and  see  ?  " 

After  a  short  pause,  during  which  Thayer  smoked 
placidly,  Keating  went  on :  "  You  despise  me  in  your 
heart,  I  can  see  that.  You  treat  me  like  a  gentleman, 
but  you  really  feel  that  you  are  a  damned  sight  better 
that  I  am.  You're  a  college  man.  You've  got  culture. 
You've  always  had  money.  I  just  had  a  public  school 
education,  but  it  wasn't  so  bad.  I  started  out  in  life 
young,  but  that  wasn't  so  bad  either.  I  can  understand 
things  when  they  are  told  to  me  in  English,  and,  Thayer, 
don't  you  tell  me  I  can't,  unless  you  are  willing  to 
prove  it." 

Keating  sat  down  again  in  a  comfortable  chair.  His 
face  was  more  flushed  than  if  he  had  been  drinking.  He 
stretched  out  his  legs  nonchalantly,  and  laughed  a  little 
at  his  betrayal  of  feeling. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Thayer  quietly.  "  My  father 
left  me  a  fortune,  as  you  say.  He  got  it  honestly.  He 
did  not  cheat.  He  did  not  bribe.  He  played  the  game 
squarely,  and  it  is  because  he  did  that  I  like  a  square 
game.  Times  have  changed  somewhat." 

"  We're  all  grafters  now,"  said  Keating  with  cheerful 
frankness. 

"  No,  we  are  not,  Keating.  There  are  men  whom  you 
can't  buy.  There  are  men  in  public  as  well  as  in  private 


ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM  179 

life  who  are  above  reproach.  You  see,  Keating,  you  have 
associated  only  with  one  kind.  You  have  run  with  the 
grafters." 

"  And  I've  done  well,"  said  Keating  with  a  smile. 

"  Yes,  you've  done  well ;  but  you  will  admit  that  you 
have  done  a  little  too  well.  Now,  perhaps,  you  under 
stand  that  if  some  of  us  '  have  it  in  for  you,'  it  is  not 
because  it  is  merely  you,  but  because  Keating  is  one  of 
many,  and  if  we  get  him  we  may  get  at  many  more 
behind  him,  and  if  we  stamp  this  out  of  him,  we  may 
stamp  it  out  of  many  who  otherwise  might  be  such  as 
he." 

"  I  understand  you  now,"  said  Keating.  "  You  are  a 
fighter,  and  I  like  a  fighter.  You  fight  fair,  but  though 
you  don't  believe  me,  I  play  fair  too,  in  my  way.  You 
see,  you  play  for  the  love  of  the  game,  but  I  don't  waste 
any  time  on  that  sort  of  a  deal.  There's  got  to  be 
something  in  it  for  me,  Thayer,  and  perhaps,"  he  added 
significantly,  "  it  might  have  been  the  same  with  you  if 
you  had  not  had  your  silver  spoon  at  the  start." 

Thayer  was  again  silent  for  a  moment,  then  he  re 
sumed.  "  Keating,  there  was  once  a  man  named  Wash 
ington  — " 

"  *  First  in  war,  first  in  peace,  first  in  the  hearts  of  his 
countrymen.'  They  taught  us  about  him  in  the  public 
schools.  He  was  a  little  too  much  of  a  silk-stocking  to 
suit  me,"  said  Keating. 

"  Yes,  he  was  an  aristocrat,"  admitted  Thayer,  "  but 
he  did  a  few  things  for  all  that.  As  a  young  man  he 
made  a  journey  on  foot  through  a  wilderness  full  of  hos 
tile  Indians.  It  was  a  pretty  hard  trip ;  there  were  not 
many  other  men  who  could  have  done  it,  but  he  went 
right  through,  though  he  was  a  silk-stocking.  You  see, 
he  did  not  mind  if  the  silk  got  torn. 


180  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  He  was  at  Valley  Forge  during  a  long,  hard  winter, 
when  he  might  have  been  somewhere  else  where  it  was 
more  comfortable.  It  was  a  pretty  rough  time,  and  his 
men  were  perishing  for  want  of  food  and  clothing,  and 
the  burden  of  it  rather  fell  on  him.  He  did  not  say  much 
in  the  way  of  complaint,  and  he  won  out.  Again,  he 
crossed  the  Delaware  at  just  the  right  time,  where  many 
another  man  would  have  been  behind  time,  and  he  won  out 
there.  He  gave  the  best  that  was  in  him,  all  his  life,  for 
this  country,  your  country,  Keating,  and  mine,  and  he 
never  asked  if  it  would  pay  him.  Congress  had  a  medal 
made  for  him,  and  it  was  presented  to  him.  It  was  an 
historic  coin  —  historic  as  being  the  only  piece  of  gold 
he  ever  received  from  his  country  for  his  services. 

"  There  was  another  man  —  Robert  Morris  —  who 
gave  his  own  fortune  to  support  his  country  in  the  hour 
of  its  financial  need.  There  were  Patrick  Henry,  and 
James  Otis,  and  John  Hancock,  and  Alexander  Hamil 
ton,  and  a  whole  line  throughout  our  history,  down  to 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  to  men  of  our  own  day,  who  have 
given  themselves  for  love  of  their  country.  Remember, 
it  is  your  country,  and  mine.  They  gave  themselves  for 
the  form  of  government  which  they  believed  in,  and  held 
as  sacred.  They  did  not  give  themselves  because  it  paid. 
It  is  that  they  may  not  have  given  their  services  in  vain 
—  they  never  could  have  lived  in  vain  —  that  some  of 
us  —  many  of  us  —  are  striving  to-day.  It  is  because  we 
cannot  stand  idly  by  and  see  the  Republic  which  these 
men  labored  to  build  up ;  —  bartered,  sold,  degraded 
and  exploited  for  pay.  It  is  because  I  believe  that  you 
are  the  cloak  behind  which  some  greater  enemy  of  the 
Republic  is  hiding  that  it  pays  me  to  give  my  time,  as  I 
am  giving  it,  and  to  spend  my  money,  as  I  shall  spend 


ON  BOARD  THE  SEA  FOAM  181 

it,  and  I  will  follow  you,  Keating,  until  I  bring  you 
back." 

Thayer  ended  as  he  had  begun,  with  neither  bitterness 
nor  passion,  and  both  men  sat  in  silence,  occupied  with 
their  own  thoughts.  The  tropical  rain  had  ceased,  and 
the  little  cabin,  having  grown  stuffy  with  cigar  smoke, 
both,  as  if  by  mutual  consent,  got  up  and  went  out  on 
the  deck.  A  rich  crimson  and  gold  sunset  lit  up  the 
bay,  throwing  its  reflection  across  the  sky  until  it  glowed 
faintly  in  the  East. 

Thayer  stood  by  the  rail,  wrapt  in  the  exquisite  and 
soothing  beauty  of  the  scene,  while  Keating  walked  to 
the  bow  and  looked  over  towards  the  town,  with  its  dirty 
adobe  houses  and  its  few  pretentious  ones  of  stucco. 
There  was  the  Hotel  d'Inglaterra,  and  the  thought  of 
returning  to  it  made  him  almost  sick.  Then  his  mind 
pictured  the  old  haunts  at  home.  He  saw  the  brilliantly 
lighted  streets,  the  familiar  resorts  where  he  was  always 
sure  of  a  cordial  welcome,  the  comfortable  back-room  at 
the  Rushmore,  and  he  thought  also  of  Mrs.  Keating. 
Though  he  had  never,  to  any  great  extent,  practiced  the 
domestic  virtues,  being  a  man  who  could  easily  adjust 
himself  to  a  separation  from  his  own  fireside ;  the  utter 
desolation  of  his  present  position,  and  the  more  terrifying 
outlook  for  the  future  sweeping  full  over  him,  a  strange 
lump  rose  in  his  throat.  He  turned  and  looked  at  the 
man  who  had  caused  him  a  pang  he  had  never  known 
before.  Thayer,  unconscious  of  this  newly  aroused  feel 
ing,  was  looking  across  the  bay,  touched  with  a  slight 
melancholy  which  his  isolation  and  the  beauty  of  the 
night  engendered.  Keating  watched  him  for  a  long  time 
without  moving,  something  in  his  own  nature  stirring 
in  answer  to  the  nature  of  the  other. 

When  the  light  had  faded  from  the  sky,  and  it  had 


182  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

grown  so  dark  that  they  could  not  distinctly  see  each 
other's  faces,  Keating  came  and  stood  at  Thayer's  elbow. 
The  latter  looked  up  with  a  start. 

"  I'll  go  with  you,"  said  Keating  hoarsely.  "  Start 
as  soon  as  you  please;  the  sooner  the  better." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  ?  "  asked  Thayer. 

"  Yes,  by  God,  I've  got  to  go !  I  only  ask  one  thing 
of  you,  Thayer.  They  will  all  think  that  you  worked 
some  game  to  catch  me ;  that  you  '  doped '  me,  or  some 
thing  like  that,  and  got  me  out  to  sea.  Let  'em  think  it, 
Don't  let  'em  know  I  weakened,"  and,  like  one  ashamed, 
he  glided  away  to  his  stateroom. 

Thayer  gave  a  few  directions  to  the  captain  of  his 
yacht  and  then  went  to  his  own  room,  and  by  daybreak 
the  Sea  Foam  was  headed  North. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

KEATING    COMES    BACK 

The  wave  of  excitement  over  the  frailty  of  the  Alder 
men  gradually  died  away,  and  no  sooner  had  it  ceased 
than  again  hydra-headed  "  Graft "  raised  itself  from 
the  marshes  of  corruption. 

The  Respectable  Citizen  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
said :  "  Our  District  Attorney  has  found  himself  con 
fronted  with  a  task  too  great  for  his  strength ;  the  twelve 
labors  in  one  would  be  easy  in  comparison."  Therefore 
the  Respectable  Citizen  made  up  his  mind  that  the  affair, 
like  many  other  sporadic  revivals  of  civic  virtue,  had 
blown  over,  and,  being  absorbed  in  his  own  business, 
he  forgot  it  entirely. 

Richard  Haverland  had  much  to  occupy  his  mind ;  the 
work  of  the  office  claimed  many  hours  out  of  the  twenty- 
four,  and  in  his  home  the  wail  of  an  infant  announced 
that  a  third  generation  of  Haverland  had  set  his  tiny 
foot  upon  the  globe  where  the  first  generation  held  such 
titanic  sway. 

"  Shure,  an*  he's  a  foine  bye ! "  cried  Nora  Flynn, 
taking  him  from  the  arms  of  the  nurse  with  that  air  of 
ownership  which  she  had  shown  from  the  first  day  she 
entered  the  house.  "  There's  no  foiner  bye  in  this  land. 
If  the  ould  man  Heviland  sets  his  eye  on  this  wan,  he'll 
be  after  makin'  a  rich  lad  ov  him ! " 

It  was  from  Richard's  lips  that  Samuel  Haverland 
first  heard  that  he  had  a  grandson. 

183 


184  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Richard  had  not  seen  his  father  since  the  bribery  cases 
had  come  to  light,  and  it  was  during  the  interlude,  while 
the  convicted  Aldermen  were  serving  the  first  days  of 
their  sentences,  and  while  Keating  was  sojourning  in 
the  tropics,  that  a  chance  meeting  took  place  between 
father  and  son. 

After  the  first  stiff  greeting,  old  Samuel  tried  to  speak 
in  his  lighter  vein.  "  Aren't  you  tired  of  public  life  ? 
It  would  seem  to  me  a  most  unprofitable  way  of  spending 
one's  energies." 

"  Even  if  I  were  tired  I  should  have  to  complete  my 
term  of  office,  you  know,"  replied  Richard. 

"  And  you  have  still  considerable  time  ahead  of  you," 
commented  old  Samuel  thoughtfully.  He  had  followed 
every  detail  of  his  son's  career,  and  no  one  knew  better 
than  he  what  the  District  Attorney  was  doing. 

"  Richard,  you  have  made  an  excellent  record.  It 
would  seem  to  me  that  you  have  a  fine  opportunity  to 
stop  now  before  you  go  too  far,"  he  said  in  his  dry  tone. 

"  I  must  go  on,"  replied  Richard  quietly.  "  I  must 
go  on,  no  matter  where  the  path  leads,  no  matter  what 
is  at  the  end."  There  was  a  touch  of  sadness  in  his  voice, 
but  his  mouth  was  stern  and  his  eyes  flashed  keenly. 

During  the  pause  which  followed  each  looked  into  the 
the  other's  face  as  if  he  read  his  thoughts,  but  neither 
dropped  his  eyes. 

Richard  broke  the  silence.  "  Constance  has  a  baby. 
Did  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  What  is  it,  a  girl?  "  asked  old  Haverland. 

"  No,  a  boy." 

Old  Samuel's  eyes  shone,  but  he  only  said :  "  I  will 
come  out  and  see  him  some  day,  when  your  wife  is 
away." 


KEATING  COMES  BACK  185 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  Constance  ?  "  Richard  laughed 
at  the  idea. 

"  I  prefer  not  to  have  the  mother  fluttering  around 
when  I  come  to  see  my  grandson,"  replied  old  Samuel. 

There  was  a  moment's  pause.  Richard  turned  to  go. 
"  I  won't  take  any  more  of  your  time,  father." 

"  She  is  an  odd  little  thing,  your  wife,  Richard.  How 
do  you  get  on  with  her  ?  "  asked  the  old  man  suddenly, 
detaining  him. 

"  Very  well  indeed,"  replied  the  younger  man,  with  a 
quiet  smile. 

"  She  returned  me  the  check  which  I  sent  her  on  your 
wedding  day." 

"  I  never  knew  you  sent  one,"  said  Richard. 

"  I  have  never  spoken  of  it ;  has  not  she?  " 

"  Never." 

"  She  sent  it  back  with  an  odd,  feminine,  impulsive 
letter." 

Richard  looked  at  his  father  with  a  peculiar  expression 
in  his  own  eyes,  but  said  nothing. 

"  You  know  I  stand  ready  to  provide  for  you  both 
liberally,  at  any  time.  You  have  only  to  come  back  and 
follow  the  line  which  I  have  marked  out  for  you.  I 
think  none  the  less  of  you  for  holding  out  as  you  have 
done,  but  you  might  as  well  yield  now  as  later." 

Richard  was  silent. 

His  father  reverted  to  the  previous  subject.  "  Yet  I 
was  surprised  to  have  her,  a  woman,  send  back  that 
check.  It  was  not  a  small  one  either ;  when  I  do  a  thing 
of  that  sort,  you  know,  I  am  not  niggardly." 

"  I  know  you  were  always  too  generous  with  me,  but 
you  need  not  worry  about  me.  I  am  getting  along  all 
right  financially.  We  have  quite  enough." 

The  gentler  light,  which  few  ever  saw  in  Samuel  Hav- 


186  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

erlandV  eyes,  dwelt  there  for  a  moment  after  his  son  had 
left  him.  "  A  boy  —  a  fine  boy,"  he  murmured.  "  He 
is  my  grandson,  mine!  " 

By  the  time  the  third  generation  of  Haverland  had 
reached  his  sixth  month  he  had  developed  what  might 
be  called  a  grasping  nature.  For.  one  of  his  very  tender 
age  he  took  an  astonishingly  firm  hold  of  things.  On 
the  very  half-yearly  anniversary  of  his  birth  he  grasped 
the  tail  of  the  cat  as  she  roved  by,  and  held  on  with  such 
tenacity  that -she  turned  upon  him  with  a  sharp  yowl, 
and  scratched  him  badly  on  his  chubby  arm. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  this  day  that  the  newspapers 
came  out  with  the  announcement: 

"  KEATING    COMES    BACK." 

There  was  no  relation  between  these  two  events.  They 
were  merely  events  contemporaneous  in  the  Haverland 
life.  The  former  caused  a  lusty  uproar  in  the  house,  and 
was  related  with  dramatic  effect  to  the  head  of  the  house 
upon  his  return  at  night.  The  latter  caused  a  whirlwind 
of  excitement  in  the  city.  The  would-be  boodlers,  whose 
greedy  eyes  had  been  fastened  on  other  rich  strikes, 
quickly  drew  back  their  heads  like  so  many  mud-turtles 
in  the  ooze.  The  District  Attorney  was  once  more  in  the 
lime-light  of  the  public  stage.  The  Respectable  Citizen 
woke  up  to  the  fact  that  the  real  play  was  about  to 
begin. 

Francis  Thayer,  bronzed  with  a  six  months'  journey 
in  foreign  lands  was  back  in  the  city  with  renewed 
health,  and  Joseph  Keating,  who  had  lost  his  jaunty  air, 
was  sequestered  for  safekeeping  in  the  local  jail. 

"  We  will  try  Mr.  Keating  as  originally  planned," 
said  the  District  Attorney. 

On  the  morning  that  this  announcement  appeared  in 


KEATING  COMES  BACK  187 

the  newspapers  Colonel  Jake  Homer  dropped  into  the 
District  Attorney's  office.  The  colonel  had  not  called 
for  a  long  time.  Shortly  after  election  he  had  asked 
for  a  few  small  plums  in  the  way  of  the  minor  appoint 
ments  of  a  janitor  and  a  messenger,  and  got  them. 
When  he  tried  to  take  a  hand  in  the  choosing  of  Haver- 
land's  assistants  his  suggestions  were  not  only  received 
coldly,  but  were  ignored  in  every  instance.  The  colonel 
had  gone  off  sadly  out  of  countenance.  He  did  not 
splutter  threats  of  vengeance,  but  said  he  would  wait 
and  see. 

Now  he  reappeared  like  the  radiant  sun,  particularly 
gorgeous  in  his  dress,  and  smooth  of  tongue. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  District  Attorney,"  he  exclaimed  airily, 
"  busy  as  ever,  I  see." 

"  We  manage  to  keep  the  grass  from  growing  on  the 
court-house  steps,"  replied  the  District  Attorney,  upon 
whose  steady  nerves  the  colonel  was  one  of  the  few  who 
grated. 

"  I  suppose  that  you  are  deep  in  these  boodle  cases," 
remarked  Horner,  taking  a  chair. 

"  I  am,"  was  the  admission. 

"  Haverland,  between  old  friends  now,  don't  you  think 
that  the  public  —  and  you  —  should  be  satisfied  with  the 
triumph  justice  has  had  in  the  conviction  of  Maier  and 
Sullivan  ?  "  asked  the  colonel.  "  Of  course,  I  only  ask 
this  question  as  an  old  friend  who  stood  by  you  when 
you  were  running  for  office.  You  need  not  answer  it 
unless  you  wish  to." 

"  Colonel  Horner,  I  will  answer  you,  although  your 
questions  seem  to  me  to  require  small  answer.  The  bribe- 
giver  has  generally  gotten  off  easily,  leaving  the  bribe 
taker  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  punishment.  Now  I 


188  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

intend  to  try  Keating,  and  see  if  I  cannot  find  out  who 
is  behind  him." 

The  colonel  cleared  his  throat.  "  Mr.  Haverland,  I 
am  an  older  man  than  you  — " 

"  Colonel  Homer,  you  are  not  the  first  man  who  has 
told  me  that  since  I  came  into  office.  I  presume  you  have 
some  advice  to  offer  me.  Go  ahead,  I  have  a  few  min 
utes  to  listen." 

Colonel  Homer  laughed.  "  Well,  it  was  the  prelude 
to  a  little  advice,  and  I  am  going  to  give  it  to  you 
frankly  because  I  have  always  liked  you,  and  taken  an 
interest  in  you.  It  is  this :  You've  sent  the  '  Dutch 
man  '  up.  You've  made  an  example  of  him.  Sullivan, 
too,  has  been  punished.  Now  let  the  matter  drop." 

"  I  have  spent  a  good  deal  of  time  in  working  up 
Keating's  case,"  said  the  District  Attorney.  "  I  did  not 
do  it  for  fun." 

"  Keating  has  been  punished  enough,"  said  the  colonel 
sympathetically.  "  Why,  look  at  the  man ;  he  is  ill.  He 
won't  live  long ;  it  is  pitiable." 

"  From  my  point  of  view,  colonel,  it  would  be  more 
pitiable  to  punish  that  poor  little  Maier  and  the  ignorant 
Sullivan  and  allow  the  big  criminals  to  go  free.  No, 
Keating  shall  go  to  prison,  and  those  behind  him  shall 
follow,  if  the  law  can  touch  them.  The  little  '  Dutch 
man  '  will  come  down  from  j  ail  and  make  a  better  wit 
ness  than  some  of  them  fondly  beMeve." 

"  Now,  Haverland,  I'll  be  frank  with  you,  just  as  I 
have  always  been.  Politics  has  gotten  into  this,  and 
there's  where  I  really  come  in.  You  see,  it  is  this  way: 
Thomas  Cadwell  is  president  of  the  United  Central  Trac 
tion  Company  — ' 

"  That  is  business,  not  politics,"  commented  the  Dis 
trict  Attorney. 


KEATING  COMES  BACK  189 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  the  colonel  earnestly.  "  Cad- 
well  is  a  prominent  man,  both  in  business  and  politics.. 
He  is  a  man  whose  reputation  is  above  reproach.  Now  a 
little  money  may  have  been  used  to  get  that  franchise. 
The  company  had  to  have  it.  If  Keating,  who  may  have 
been  their  agent,  or  an  agent  of  some  one  interested  with 
them  —  if  Keating,  I  say,  was  a  little  careless  about  the 
means  employed,  why  it  seems  to  me  very  foolish  to  push 
the  matter  too  far,  at  the  risk  of  defeating  our  party  at 
the  next  election." 

"  One  moment,  Colonel  Homer,  if  you  please,"  inter 
rupted  the  District  Attorney.  "  To  follow  this  under- 
standingly,  may  I  inquire  which  is  your  party  ?  " 

"  Why,  didn't  you  know  that  I  had  resumed  the  lead 
ership  of  the  Republican  party  in  this  city  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  followed  your  political  fortunes  quite  so 
closely  as  I  should." 

"  It  was  in  all  the  papers.  Cadwell  is  going  to  run 
for  the  United  States  Senate,  and  I  am  to  have  my  old 
leadership  in  the  city  again." 

"  So  you  went  over  to  them,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Never,  never !  They  came  over  to  me.  They  yielded 
every  point  that  I  demanded.  We  have  just  got  every 
thing  harmonized  beautifully,  and  in  the  interest  of 
party  harmony  I  beg  of  you  to  go  slow  with  this  case." 

The  District  Attorney  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and 
looked  closely  at  the  colonel. 

"  Why  should  the  performance  of  my  duty  affect  your 
party  harmony  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Rumor  has  it  persistently  that  Keating  has  talked, 
or  is  going  to  talk.  You  know  how  things  get  passed 
about.  I  heard  it  pretty  straight  that  Thomas  Cadwell's 
name  had  got  into  this  mess,  so  I  come  here,  entirely  on 


190  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

my  own  account,  mind  you,  to  try  to  straighten  things 
out—" 

"  Why  ?  "  interrupted  the  District  Attorney. 

"  Why  ?  Because  Cadwell,  who  is  running  for  the 
Senate,  happens  to  be  president  of  the  Traction  Com 
pany.  That  is  only  one  of  his  many  interests.  But  of 
course  the  Democrats  will  seize  the  slightest  pretext  to 
drag  his  name  into  the  mire  of  any  scandal  they  can  get 
hold  of." 

"  Oh,  the  Democrats  will  do  that?  "  said  the  District 
Attorney,  apparently  much  enlightened.  "  May  I  ask 
which  class  of  Democrats  ?  Will  it  be  the  *  many  decent 
Democrats  '  who,  you  will  remember,  you  once  told  me 
were  in  the  city,  '  Democrats  one  would  be  willing  to 
shake  by  the  hand,'  or  will  it  be  the  indecent  ones?  " 

"  Mr.  Haverland,"  said  Homer  stiffly,  "  I  came  here  to 
speak  seriously  upon  a  serious  matter." 

"  Speaking  seriously,  Colonel  Horner,  in  the  discharge 
of  my  duty  I  refuse  to  recognize  one  party  more  than 
another,  and  I  will  not  alter  my  plan  of  action  one  whit, 
even  in  the  interest  of  harmony  in  the  party  with  which 
you  are  at  present  affiliated." 

The  colonel  flushed  slightly,  but  he  stuck  to  his  guns. 
"  Mr.  Haverland,  I  am  in  a  position  to  get  you  the  re- 
nomination,  and  I  pledge  you  my  word  that  you  shall 
have  it  if  you  will  only  reconsider  your  determination." 

"  I  did  not  seek  the  nomination,  Colonel  Horner,  and 
I  shall  make  no  pledges  to  obtain  a  renewal  of  it." 

"  You  won't  get  a  renomination  then.  You  will  never 
see  another  term  in  this  office,"  replied  Horner  sharply. 

"  Then  it  behooves  me  to  be  all  the  more  thorough  in 
my  work  while  I  am  in  office,"  replied  the  District  At 
torney  with  a  smile. 

"  Will  nothing  move  you  ?  "  exploded  Colonel  Horner, 


KEATING  COMES  BACK 191 

exasperated.  "  Think  of  the  effect  upon  the  voters  if 
CadwelPs  name  is  dragged  into  this.  Think  of  the  effect 
it  will  have  upon  business.  Why,  Cadwell  is  one  of  our 
big  men.  For  the  sake  of  business  interests  I  implore 
jou,  Mr.  Haverland,  to  listen  to  my  advice." 

"  I  shall  go  on  with  this  matter  as  I  originally 
planned.  There  is  nothing  more  to  be  said,"  was  the 
answer. 

Colonel  Homer  turned  red.  "  Mr.  Haverland,  I  made 
you  politically,  yet  you  ignore  my  counsel  upon  every 
occasion.  The  day  will  come  when  you  will  regret  it. 
This  is  the  only  term  you  will  ever  have  in  office.  I 
wish  you  joy  of  it." 

"  It  is  to  this  term  that  my  oath  of  office  applies,  and 
if  it  be  true  that  you  made  me  politically  then  you  will 
stand  credited  or  discredited  by  my  conduct  of  it;  but 
I  shall  continue  to  conduct  it  as  I  see  fit,  even  if  the 
method  is  directly  at  variance  with  your  views." 

The  colonel  rose  abruptly.  "  Mr.  Haverland,  I  came 
in  to  see  you  as  much  in  your  interest  as  in  my  own.  I 
have  been  very  frank  with  you.  I  take  it  for  granted 
that  everything  I  have  said  will  remain  in  strict  confi 
dence." 

Richard  Haverland  bowed  slightly.  The  colonel  went 
out  as  breezily  as  he  had  entered,  but  with  his  spirits 
ruffled  and  his  pride  humbled. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE   TWO    GRANDFATHERS 

While  momentous  events  were  taking  place  in  the 
lives  of  Keating,  Maier  and  Cadwell,  old  Sam  Haverland 
was  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  his  ways.  One  day, 
however,  he  deviated  so  abruptly  from  his  routine  as  to 
give  his  faithful  clerk,  Walters,  a  sudden  turn,  which 
startled  him  more  than  a  raise  of  salary  would  have 
done. 

It  was  in  the  office  at  midday.  Mr.  Haverland,  after 
partaking  of  a  glass  of  milk  and  a  graham  roll,  instead 
of  returning  as  usual  to  his  work,  drew  a  photograph 
from  his  pocket  and  examined  it  earnestly. 

Never  in  the  whole  course  of  his  life  had  Walters 
tried  to  pry  into  the  secrets  of  his  patron.  Whatever 
small  crumbs  of  information,  in  the  way  of  tips  on  the 
market,  had  been  thrown  to  him,  he  had  picked  up 
thankfully  and  profited  by  to  the  utmost  of  his  ability. 
All  confidences  given  him  had  been  guarded  loyally,  but 
at  this  moment  his  curiosity  was  aroused  to  the  burning 
point.  He  yielded  to  temptation,  and  looked  over  Sam 
uel  Haverland's  shoulder.  With  round  eyes  he  beheld 
nothing  more  than  a  happy-faced  baby. 

"  Walters !  "  said  Mr.  Haverland  quickly. 

"  Yes  —  yes,  sir,"  stammered  the  faithful  one,  turning 
uncomfortably  red. 

"  I  shall  not  be  back  to-day,  Walters,"  and  closing 
his  desk  Samuel  Haverland  walked  to  the  street  corner 

198 


THE  TWO  GRANDFATHERS  193 

and  hailed  a  cab.  It  was  old  Samuel's  practice  in  all 
things  not  to  allow  his  right  hand  to  know  what  his  left 
did,  and  so  in  this  instance  he  preferred  that  his  clerks 
should  not  follow  his  movements. 

It  was  a  bright  winter  afternoon.  Mr.  Haverland 
was  driven  to  the  station,  and,  taking  a  suburban  train, 
buried  his  nose  in  a  newspaper,  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
world  outside.  The  journey  was  not  a  new  one  to  him. 
Although  many  years  had  passed  over  his  head  since  he 
last  made  it,  he  laid  down  his  newspaper  just  as  the  train 
rolled  up  to  the  station,  and  his  feet  took  him  unhesi 
tatingly  along  the  right  road.  He  remembered  every 
turn,  recognized  the  maples  in  front  of  the  house,  and 
was  pleased  to  note  how  much  they  had  increased  in  size. 
If  he  felt  any  deep  emotion  at  thus  revisiting  the  place, 
his  face  did  not  show  it.  He  smiled  pleasantly  to  him 
self  to  see  how  new  the  building  looked,  and  how  well 
kept  were  the  small  grounds.  As  his  boots  crunched 
firmly  on  the  gravel  path  he  calculated  to  a  nicety  the 
cost  of  the  improvements  and  what  income  would  be  de 
rived  by  the  owner  should  he  decide  to  rent  the  property. 

It  was  very  quiet  within  the  house.  Mrs.  Richard 
Haverland  had  gone  to  town  to  do  some  household  er 
rands,  the  nurse  had  seized  the  opportunity  to  go  up 
stairs  and  take  a  nap,  and  Nora  Flynn  was  comfortably 
seated  in  the  parlor,  crooning  old  Irish  melodies  to  the 
sleeping  baby.  As  the  bell  rang  Nora  shifted  her  bur 
den  to  her  left  arm  and  opened  the  door  quickly,  chang-- 
ing  her  refrain  to  "  An*  indade  it's  time  you  were  here 
at  last." 

Samuel  Haverland  looked  at  Miss  Flynn  and  Miss 
Flynn  looked  squarely  back  at  Mr.  Haverland. 

"  What  made  you  think  I  was  coming  at  all?  "  he 
asked. 

18 


194  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

**  I  ask  yer  pardon ;  it  was  the  plumber  I  was  ex- 
pectin'.  Are  ye  not  the  plumber?  " 

Old  Samuel  entered  without  making  any  reply. 

There  was  a  sparkle  in  Nora's  eye  as  she  asked  sharp 
ly  :  "  Are  ye  the  water  man  ?  If  ye  are  that,  the  water 
rint's  not  due  till  Tuesday,  and  it's  no  money  ye'll  be 
gettin'  onyhow  till  the  plumber's  through  with  his  job." 

"  I'm  not  the  water  man,"  replied  Haverland,  exam 
ining  the  girl  closely. 

Nora  was  a  buxom  woman  of  about  thirty-five,  with 
a  mop  of  rich  brown  hair,  and  the  spirit  of  mischief  in 
her  blue  eyes.  "  Everywan's  out  but  meself ,"  she  volun 
teered. 

Mr.  Haverland  showed  no  surprise  at  this  informa 
tion,  and  continued  to  look  about  him  with  curiosity. 

"  Everywan's  out  but  meself  and  Master  James  Hart 
ley  Haverland  —  little  Jimmie,"  and  she  hugged  the 
sleeping  infant  affectionately. 

If  old  Samuel  winced  upon  hearing  the  name  it  was 
only  the  quiver  of  an  eyelid,  and  he  sat  down  near  the 
girl. 

"  Are  ye  the  gas  man  ?  "  she  inquired,  looking  at  him 
boldly.  "  If  ye  are,  I  have  so  many  complaints  I  don't 
know  which  wan  to  give  ye  first." 

"  No,  I'm  not  the  gas  man." 

"  Who  aire  ye,  then,  and  what  is  it  that  ye  want, 
calling  upon  me  whin  the  missis  is  out  ?  " 

From  long  force  of  habit,  Samuel  Haverland's  mind 
shied  at  a  direct  question.  He  replied  by  asking.  "  Is 
there  no  one  else  at  home  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Richard  Haverland  is  at  wurk  for  the  baby. 
Mrs.  Haverland  has  gone  to  buy  a  little  pair  of  pink 
socks  for  the  baby,  and  I,  Nora  Flynn,  am  a-rockin'  the 


THE  TWO  GRANDFATHERS  195 

little  darlin'  to  slape  in  me  arums,  so  ye  must  be  quiet, 
to  stay  here." 

"  It  would  appear  that  the  entire  household  revolves 
around  that  infant,"  remarked  Haverland  dryly. 

"  And  why  should  it  not  ?  Isn't  he  a  f oine  bye,  for 
six  months  ?  Shure,  and  there's  no  f oiner  kid  born  out 
side  of  Oireland  than  this  little  Jimmie  Hartley  Haver- 
land.  His  mither  calls  him  Hartley,  and  his  fayther 
always  calls  the  kid  Hartley,  but  I  give  him  the  name  he 
was  christened,  and  Jimmie's  the  bye  fer  me."  She 
nodded  and  winked  at  Haverland  in  a  friendly  way. 
He  ignored  her,  but  studied  the  infant  carefully.  He 
felt  a  great  longing  to  take  this  little  grandson,  and 
train  him  up  to  follow  in  the  path  which  he  would  choose 
for  him.  Not  as  he  had  trained  Richard.  He  could  see 
now  where  he  had  made  a  mistake,  but  he  could  profit 
by  his  own  mistakes,  and  never  made  the  same  a  second 
time. 

"  Yes,"  he  admitted,  nodding  his  head,  "  he  is  a  fine 
baby." 

"  Here,  you  hold  him  a  minute  while  I  go  and  put  the 
soup-kettle  on  the  stove,"  said  Nora  suddenly,  putting 
the  baby  in  his  arms. 

Old  Samuel  held  his  grandson  firmly. 

"  You  are  not  a  careful  nurse  to  surrender  your 
charge  to  the  first  stranger,"  he  said  sternly.  "  I  might 
drop  it." 

"  It's  not  iverywan  I'd  trust,  but  yer  not  the  man  to 
drop  anything  yer  wanst  got  yer  hands  on." 

He  gave  the  woman  a  sharp  glance,  but  the  lakes  of 
Killarney  were  not  clearer  than  her  innocent-looking 
eyes. 

"  I'll  be  back  prisently,  and  mind  yer  don't  let  him 
Wake  up  and  cry.  If  he  wakes  cross,  he'll  have  the  divil 


196  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

of  a  temper,  much  like  his  grandfayther,  I'm  thinkin'." 

"  What  do  you  know  of  his  grandfather?  "  he  de 
manded,  frowning. 

"  Don't  I  see  the  pictures  in  the  Sunday  papers  ? 
Shure,  an'  I  have  a  frind  who's  a  cart-tunest.  I've  been 
studyin'  yer  face  as  ye  set  here.  Go  on  wid  ye,  Mr.  Sam 
Heviland,  it's  not  Nora  Flynn  ye  can  dcsave  so  aisy." 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  deceive  anybody.  Deception,  my 
dear  young  woman,  is  a  sin.  I  did  not  think  it  necessary 
to  announce  myself  as  the  child's  grandfather,  but  as 
you  have  rightly  guessed,  I  came  here  to  see  him ;  and 
for  my  own  reasons  I  chose  a  time  when  the  parents  were 
away." 

"  Take  a  good  look  at  him  while  I  take  a  look  at  the 
soup;  it  will  do  your  heart  good,"  replied  Nora  cheer- 
fully. 

"  What  if  I  should  kidnap  him?  "  he  asked  with  a  dry 
smile. 

"  Shure,  ye  can  kidnap  the  whole  family  and  build 
them  a  palace  of  gold  if  ye  like,"  she  replied  laughing, 
as  she  went  into  the  kitchen. 

Old  Samuel  looked  down  into  the  face  of  the  newest 
Haverland.  It  gave  signs  of  waking,  and  squirmed 
gently  in  his  arms.  This  mite  was  his  grandson.  He 
felt  a  growing  desire  to  have  it  for  himself.  The  eyes 
were  still  shut,  but  the  tiny  mouth  rounded  into  a  yawn. 

"  It's  going  to  wake,"  he  called  to  Nora  in  a  stage 
whisper  which  penetrated  to  the  kitchen. 

"  It's  about  time  he  did  wake,  and  ask  for  his  bottle," 
she  replied  with  indifference,  rattling  the  kitchen  stove. 
"  I'll  be  there  prisently." 

The  grandfather  looked  about  him  with  some  appre 
hension,  laid  his  grandson  on  the  sofa  and  covered  him 
up  carefully.  The  grandson  awoke,  but  did  not  cry. 


THE  TWO  GRANDFATHERS  197 

Instead,  he  stared  up  into  the  face  of  his  grandsire  with 
fearless  eyes,  and  smiled. 

There  was  more  human  quality  in  the  smile  with  which 
the  old  man  answered  the  baby  than  anyone  had  ever 
seen  in  him.  But  no  one  was  there  to  see,  except  the 
babe. 

Samuel  Haverland  poked  down  one  finger  tentatively. 
James  Haverland  clutched  at  it,  and  held  on  with  sur 
prising  firmness.  The  grandfather  became  so  absorbed 
in  this  wrestling  match  that  he  failed  to  hear  Nora  come 
into  the  room  until  she  had  opened  the  door  into  the 
front  hall.  He  looked  over  his  shoulder  and  saw  James 
Hartley.  Only  for  an  instant  did  Haverland  seem  the 
least  disconcerted.  He  withdrew  his  finger,  straightened 
up,  and  became  his  inscrutable  self.  "  We  have  not  met 
for  some  time,  Mr.  Hartley,"  he  said  blandly. 

Hartley's  face  was  flushed  as  he  replied :  "  We  have 
not  met  since  you  made  your  threat  to  crush  me  to  the 
wall,  Mr.  Haverland." 

"  I  never  made  any  such  threat,"  exclaimed  Haver 
land  in  a  tone  of  surprise. 

"  You  made  good  your  threat.  But  for  you  the 
Hartley  Company  would  have  made  no  assignment.  We 
should  be  enjoying  a  good  business  to-day.  I  was  beaten 
by  you.  I  acknowledge  my  defeat,  but  it  rankles,  Mr. 
Haverland.  There  are  some  things  difficult  to  forget, 
and  until  we  do  forget  them  it  is  idle  to  preach  forgive 
ness." 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Hartley,  you  do  wrong  to  blame  me 
for  your  short-sighted  policy.  I  warned  you  that  busi 
ness  interests  demanded  certain  concessions.  You  failed 
to  grasp  the  situation.  You  have  since  discovered  that  I 
was  right.  Let  us  have  no  ill  feeling  about  the  matter." 


198  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Haverland  stepped  forward  in  a  conciliatory  manner. 
Hartley  looked  at  him  sternly. 

"  I  hold  you  responsible,"  he  said  with  suppressed 
passion.  "  Before  God  I  shall  hold  you  responsible  for 
the  injury  you  have  done  to  me,  and  to  mine."  And  to 
hide  his  feelings  he  turned  and  took  up  the  grandchild 
— "  and  to  mine,"  he  repeated  with  bitterness. 

The  baby  buried  his  tiny  fists  in  this  grandfather's 
gray  beard,  and  tugged  lustily,  crowing  with  pleasure. 

Haverland  turned  pale.  He  came  up  to  Hartley,  and 
with  a  voice  trembling  with  emotion  said :  "  Put  down 
the  child." 

Hartley  looked  at  him  with  surprise. 

"  Give  him  to  me,"  commanded  Haverland.  "  He  is 
my  grandchild." 

"Yours?"  cried  Hartley,  looking  at  him  angrily. 
"  No,  he  is  mine.  I've  seen  him  almost  daily  since  he 
was  born.  What  are  you  doing  here?  You've  never 
been  here  before.  You  have  no  rights  here." 

"  You  should  know,  sir,"  replied  Haverland  calmly, 
"  that  the  fact  of  my  not  being  a  frequent  visitor  here 
does  not  lessen  my  rights.  I  am  that  child's  grandfather. 
I  wish  to  have  him.  Give  him  to  me." 

"  You,  of  all  men,  should  know,  Mr.  Haverland,  that 
precedent  is  a  ruling  factor.  You  have  never  been  here 
before;  you  are  a  stranger  in  this  house;  you  have  no 
rights  here." 

"  My  right  is  greater  than  yours.  That  child  is  the 
son  of  my  son.  I  am  here  now,  and  I  wish  to  hold  him. 
Give  him  to  me,"  commanded  Haverland. 

The  two  grandfathers  faced  each  other.  The  baby 
began  to  screw  up  its  face. 

"  You,  of  all  men,  should  know,"  continued  Hartley 


THE  TWO  GRANDFATHERS  199 

coolly,  "  that  possession  is  nine-tenths  of  the  law.  I 
have  the  child,  and  I  am  going  to  keep  him." 

"  You  are  too  rough  with  the  baby,"  declared  Haver- 
land,  and  he  put  his  hand  on  Hartley's  arm. 

"  You  cannot  have  him  while  I  am  here,"  said  Hartley 
exasperatingly. 

"  I  will !  "  exclaimed  Haverland,  tightening  his  grasp 
upon  the  other's  arm.  With  one  hand  Hartley  pushed 
him  away  unceremoniously.  The  baby  was  crying  vig 
orously. 

Nora  Flynn,  who  had  been  standing  in  a  corner  watch 
ing  the  two  grandfathers  with  wide  eyes,  swooped  down 
suddenly.  "  Give  me  the  darlin',"  she  cried,  taking  the 
baby  away  from  Hartley.  "  Bad  cess  to  ye,  fightin' 
over  him  like  two  barnyard  roosters.  Would  ye  tear  him 
to  bits  in  the  struggle?  If  ye  can't  agree,  go  out  on 
the  sidewalk  and  settle  yer  trouble  like  two  gintlemen. 
We  can't  afford  to  have  the  furniture  broke  here. 

Haverland  regained  himself  instantly.  He  gave  one 
look  at  Hartley,  then  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked  out 
of  the  house.  Followed  by  the  shrill  notes  of  his  grand 
son's  voice  lifted  in  lamentation,  he  walked  away  towards 
the  station.  Never  in  his  life  had  he  felt  the  bitterness 
of  a  defeat  more  keenly. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

CADWELL   GETS   IT   AT   LAST 

The  United  Central  Traction  Company  was  a  very 
small  item  in  the  life  of  Samuel  Haverland.  The  com 
pany  was  prospering  famously  under  the  presidency  of 
Thomas  Cadwell.  Dividends  were  fat,  and  the  stock  was 
a  gilt-edged  investment.  Mr.  Haverland  felt  that  in  a 
human  and  imperfect  world  little  more  than  this  could 
be  demanded,  and  he  busied  himself  with  a  hundred 
other  schemes  like  an  industrious  old  spider,  and  with  a 
conscience  as  comfortable  as  that  of  a  prosperous  old 
spider  with  his  larder  full  of  flies. 

Among  the  many  things  which  occupied  his  active, 
restless  mind  were  the  endowment  of  a  college  in  his 
native  town  and  the  building  of  a  memorial  chapel  to 
his  father  near  his  summer  home.  He  was  also  stirred 
with  ambition  to  see  his  country's  flag  planted  at  the 
pole,  and  had  liberally  fitted  out  an  expedition  to  send 
a  dauntless  explorer  furthest  North.  He  was  also  work 
ing  very  quietly  to  bring  about  a  consolidation  of  the 
railroads  of  the  country,  with  his  own  pet  system  as  king 
pin  of  them  all.  While  these  varied  interests  filled  his 
days,  it  was  natural  that  a  minor  matter,  already  con 
summated  so  much  to  his  satisfaction,  should  pass  almost 
entirely  out  of  mind. 

Mr.  Thomas  Cadwell  was  also  deeply  engrossed  in  his 
own  affairs.  Many  of  them  touched  and  intertwined 
with  those  of  Haverland,  but  there  was  one  at  least  which 

200 


CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST          201 

he  hugged  close  to  his  own  heart.  This  was  the  Senator- 
ship.  He  had  gotten  the  United  Central  Traction  Com 
pany  running  smoothly  and  had  turned  over  the  oper 
ating  department  to  an  energetic  manager,  Mr.  Bradford 
Oakes,  who  had  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Haverland- 
Cadwell  interests  long  enough  to  win  their  esteem.  Oakes 
was  a  splendid  executive  officer,  faithful  to  duty,  and 
honest  in  his  dealings  with  all  men.  He  kept  the  road 
up  to  a  high  point  of  efficiency  and  got  the  best  results 
for  the  stockholders.  Cadwell  congratulated  himself 
upon  having  such  a  man,  and  turned  his  attention  to 
the  impending  election  of  a  United  States  Senator. 

Mr.  Richard  Haverland  was  another  man  of  wonderful 
energy  and  ceaseless  activity.  He  had  prepared  his  case, 
and  Joseph  Keating,  lobbyist,  political  scavenger  and 
dealer  in  legislation,  was  called  to  the  bar. 

The  day  set  for  the  trial  of  Joseph  Keating  was  the 
same  upon  which  the  Legislature  convened  to  fill  the  va 
cant  Senatorship.  Mr.  Cadwell  was  not  a  timid  man. 
He  went  about  upon  this  doubly  momentous  day  with  no 
quaking  fears  as  to  the  result  of  Keating's  trial.  Be 
fore  Keating  had  forfeited  his  bail  by  running  away, 
Cadwell  had  had  his  word  with  him,  and  the  lobbyist  had 
promised  to  keep  his  counsel  whatever  happened.  Cad 
well  in  return  had  promised  to  provide  liberally  for  him 
and  his  family  during  his  absence,  and  to  provide  still 
more  liberally  for  them  in  case  of  accident.  This  prom 
ise  he  meant  to  keep  faithfully,  and  as  Keating  had  never 
broken  faith  with  him,  he  dismissed  the  trial  from  his 
mind,  and  turned  to  the  matter  which  lay  next  his  heart. 

The  news  which  came  to  him  from  his  friends  at  the 
state  capital  was  of  a  nature  to  engross  his  mind.  The 
vote  was  very  close,  with  no  one  in  the  majority,  and  for 
three  days  there  was  a  stubborn  deadlock.  For  three 


202  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

days  also  the  trial  of  Keating,  the  briber,  lasted,  during 
which  Cadwell  had  time  to  think  of  him  but  once,  and 
then  it  was  to  deplore  that  so  good  a  man  should  be  sac 
rificed  in  so  trifling  a  cause. 

Thomas  Cadwell  was  not  a  man  to  sit  inactive,  and 
the  wires  between  him  and  his  special  agents  were  kept 
hot  with  telegrams.  The  charge  was  made  that  he  was 
using  money  to  obtain  his  election.  He  replied  with  flat- 
footed  denials,  and  challenges  for  proofs. 

The  cry  was  taken  up  that  he  was  an  upstart,  trying 
to  break  into  the  Senate.  His  friends  made  no  answer 
to  this.  They  knew  where  the  weak  spots  were,  and  con 
centrated  their  attacks  with  such  convincing  arguments 
that  a  breach  was  made,  the  deadlock  was  broken,  and 
Cadwell  secured  the  prize.  It  was  the  goal  of  his  ambi 
tion.  For  years  he  had  aimed  at  it  in  vain.  This  time 
he  had  seen  his  opportunity,  and,  spending  money  with 
out  limit,  had  actually  captured  it,  to  the  utter  disgust 
of  everyone  who  understood  the  audacious,  flagrant,  de 
bauched  manner  by  which  he  had  arrived. 

But  he  had  it.  After  three  days  of  tension  the  tele 
gram  was  in  his  hand  telling  him  of  the  honor  which  had 
been  conferred  upon  him.  He  was  standing  in  his  library 
surrounded  by  friends.  He  read  the  telegram  and  then 
tossed  it  over  to  his  son  Charles.  He  tossed  it  carelessly, 
but  the  very  carelessness  of  the  gesture  bespoke  the  su 
preme  gratification  of  the  man.  Congratulations  were 
showered  upon  him  by  the  friends,  who  drew  closer  to 
hear  the  good  tidings,  and  Charlie  Cadwell  voiced  a 
pleasant  and  prevailing  sentiment  when  he  cried  out: 
"  Dad,  you  will  have  to  take  care  of  your  friends  now. 
I  shall  expect  something  fat." 

Mrs.  Cadwell  and  Helen  were  radiant,  as  visions  of 
Washington  life  danced  before  their  eyes. 


CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST          203 

From  out  of  doors  came  the  hoarse  shouts  of  men 
calling  an  evening  paper. 

"  They  have  got  an  *  extra '  out  already !  "  exclaimed 
one  of  the  close  friends.  "  There's  enterprise  for  you, 
Cadwell."  Another  close  friend  volunteered  to  get  a 
copy,  and  hurrying  to  the  front  door  stood  bareheaded 
while  he  whistled  to  the  newsboy. 

Others  renewed  their  congratulations.  "  A  speech, 
Cadwell!  Come,  Senator,  let  us  have  your  maiden  ef 
fort!" 

Helen  came  forward  and,  taking  a  rose  from  her  cor 
sage,  slipped  it  into  the  lapel  of  her  father's  coat.  "  Now 
you  are  decorated,"  she  said,  looking  up  into  his  face 

gaily- 

"  You  must  respond  to  that !  "  exclaimed  a  friend. 

The  tension  had  been  so  great  during  these  last  few 
hours  that  Cadwell,  to  allay  his  excitement,  had  been 
drinking  more  than  was  his  custom,  and  what  he  had 
drunk  had  reported  itself  quickly  to  his  excited  brain. 
He  was  more  than  usually  flushed,  and  his  words  were  a 
little  thick  as  they  came  from  his  lips.  His  eyes  were 
brilliant  with  the  fire  of  success,  while  his  large  frame 
trembled. 

"  I've  got  it ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  You,  my  friends, 
who  have  stood  so  close  to  me  through  it  all,  understand 
what  it  means  to  me.  You,  who  know  how  I  have  strug 
gled  for  it,  fought  for  it;  how  each  time  when  I  almost 
had  it  some  one  else  has  got  in  ahead.  I  swore  all  the 
harder  I'd  have  it,  and  now  it  is  mine !  No  one  can  take 
it  from  me ! "  His  voice  rose  to  a  high  pitch,  and  the 
extreme  exultation  of  the  moment  seemed  to  choke  all 
utterance. 

Some  one  put  a  glass  of  champagne  in  his  hand.  He 
drained  it  thirstily,  put  the  glass  down  on  the  table  and 


204  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

wiped  his  heavy  moustache.  When  he  began  to  speak 
again  it  was  in  his  business-like,  every-day  tone. 

"  My  friends,  you  also  know  that  Tom  Cadwell  is  not 
an  orator.  I  can't  tickle  your  ears  with  quotations  from 
the  classics,  but  I  think  you  will  agree  that  I  speak 
without  vanity,  when  I  say  that  I  can  do  things.  I  can 
do—" 

Thomas  Cadwell  stopped  as  short  as  if  a  rifle  ball  in 
the  throat  had  checked  him.  He  stood  motionless,  his 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  headline  of  a  newspaper  which  a 
friend  had  brought  into  the  room.  In  black  type,  half 
a  foot  deep  he  read : 

KEATING   SAYS   HE   GOT   IT  DIRECT   FROM 
CADWELL. 

The  Senator-elect  strode  forward,  and  amid  a  painful 
silence  took  the  sheet  from  his  friend's  hand. 

"  Read  it  aloud,  Tom,"  said  Mrs.  Cadwell,  who,  seated 
on  the  sofa,  was  the  only  one  who  had  not  seen  it. 

The  color  going  suddenly  from  Cadwell's  full  face 
left  it  gray  and  flabby.  "  It's  a  lie,"  he  cried,  "  a 
damnable  lie ! " 

"What  is  a  lie?"  asked  Mrs.  Cadwell,  getting  up 
quickly.  "  For  Heaven's  safe,  read  it  aloud.  Aren't 
you  elected  ?  " 

Cadwell  threw  the  newspaper  from  him.  "  I  defy 
them  to  prove  it,"  he  declared. 

Helen  snatched  it  up,  and  with  burning  cheeks  read 
the  charges  against  her  father.  "  How  perfectly  shame 
less  of  them,"  she  cried,  tearing  the  sheet  angrily.  "  No, 
mamma,  you  must  not  see  it,  it  is  too  outrageous." 

Mrs.  Cadwell  obtained  possession  of  the  torn  news 
paper  and  read  it  with  more  composure  than  her  daugh- 


CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST          205 

ter.  "  It  is  outrageous.  Thomas,  you  must  sue  this 
paper  for  libel,"  she  said. 

"  I'd  like  to  horsewhip  the  man  who  wrote  it,"  de 
clared  Helen,  furiously. 

"  He  ought  to  go  to  jail,"  remarked  a  close  friend. 

Cadwell  had  regained  his  self-possession.  "  Of  course 
a  man  in  my  position  has  many  enemies,  but  whoever 
instigated  this  shall  smart  for  it."  Looking  around  the 
room,  he  said  firmly :  "  You  are  all  friends  of  mine,  and 
as  friends  I  pray  you  not  to  talk  about  this  matter  out 
side.  I  shall  be  able  to  meet  these  charges,  and  will  do 
so  at  the  proper  time.  That  is  all  I  have  to  say  now." 

His  friends  gave  him  this  promise  earnestly,  and, 
pressing  his  hand  with  great  warmth,  they  departed. 
Charles  accompanied  them  to  the  door,  leaving  the  newly 
elected  Senator  alone  with  his  wife  and  daughter  in  the 
library. 

The  crumpled  telegram  and  the  torn  newspaper  lay 
together  on  the  table.  Helen  took  up,  and  put  down, 
first  one  and  then  the  other,  with  a  nervous  movement 
of  the  fingers.  Going  up  to  her  father,  she  threw  her 
arms  around  his  neck.  "  Father,  I'm  so  sorry  for  you. 
How  you  must  suffer." 

"  I  am  used  to  calumny,"  he  said,  feeling  that  he  had 
been  outrageously  betrayed. 

"  Who  is  this  Keating  ?  "  she  asked,  turning  again  to 
the  paper.  "  Here  is  his  picture :  '  Joseph  Keating, 
convicted  of  bribery.'  Why,  here  is  your*s,  too.  How 
perfectly  shocking!  How  dare  they  put  your  picture 
beside  his,  just  as  if  you  were  accomplices!  Why,  he 
looks  like  the  man  who  used  to  come  here  to  see  you 
sometimes  in  the  evening !  " 

"  What  do  you  know  about  the  man  who  used  to  come 
and  see  me  evenings  ?  "  asked  her  father  quickly. 


206  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  I  remember  one  night  last  winter  the  bell  rang  and 
I  was  expecting  somebody  else,  and  I  went  to  the  door. 
It  was  a  man  with  a  small  dark  moustache  and  sharp 
eyes  who  asked  for  you.  He  was  very  quiet  and  very 
polite.  That  is  all  I  know,  but  I  remembered  him  dis 
tinctly.  This  man  looks  like  him.  What  does  it  all 
mean,  father?  I  want  to  know!" 

Cadwell  was  silent,  thinking. 

Mrs.  Cadwell  drew  her  arm  through  her  daughter's. 
"  Come  to  bed,  my  dear,  your  father  is  tired  out." 

"  Wait  a  minute,"  said  Cadwell  quickly.  "  My  daugh 
ter,  every  man  in  public  life  seems  to  be  the  legitimate 
target  for  slander.  I've  been  in  the  fight  for  a  good 
many  years.  I'm  no  white-robed  angel,  but  I'm  no 
worse  than  other  men,  though  I  come  in  for  more  than 
my  share  of  abuse.  Luckily  my  shoulders  are  broad,  and 
can  carry  it.  Now  don't  you  try  to  understand  things 
too  much.  It  will  only  confuse  your  pretty  head,  and  I 
could  not  make  you  understand  if  I  should  start  in  and 
explain  for  a  week.  You  go  to  bed  and  get  a  good  sleep, 
so  that  you  can  enjoy  life.  Have  a  good  time!  That 
is  what  girls  of  your  age  are  for." 

She  clung  to  him  closely  for  a  moment.  "  Good  night, 
father  dear,"  she  whispered. 

He  held  her  off  at  arm's  length  and  looked  at  her.  He 
had  always  thought  of  her  as  a  young  girl,  and  now  he 
suddenly  became  aware  that  she  was  a  woman.  He  was 
startled  at  the  maturity  of  her  beauty.  She  was  like 
the  rose  that,  blossoming  over  night,  retains  the  fresh 
ness  and  fragrance  of  the  bud,  but  has  become  a  rose. 

"  You  will  make  a  hit  in  Washington,  Nell.  I'll  bet 
you  will  be  the  belle !  "  he  exclaimed,  trying  to  appear 
himself. 

"  Good   night,   dear,"   she   repeated,   and   then    went 


CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST          207 

slowly  upstairs.  She  waved  her  hand  to  him  over  the 
banisters  as  she  ascended.  "  Good  night,  Senator ! "  she 
called  out  with  forced  gaiety.  In  the  gesture,  in  the 
accent,  there  was  confidence  and  love  that  went  to  his 
heart. 

When  the  women  had  gone  upstairs,  Charles  Cadwell 
entered  the  room.  "  I  have  just  telephoned  for  your 
lawyer,"  he  said.  "  Luckily  I  caught  him  before  he  had 
gone  to  bed ;  you  will  want  to  talk  with  him  before  you 
sleep  to-night." 

"  Thank  you,  Charlie,  you  did  right.  I  shall  want  to 
see  Mr.  Brower." 

There  was  a  few  moment's  silence,  father  and  son  both 
busy  with  their  thoughts. 

"  This  comes  at  a  very  inopportune  time,"  said  Cad- 
well  suddenly. 

"  Yes,"  assented  Charles,  "  it  does." 

"  I  cannot  understand  what  possessed  Keating,"  the 
father  continued.  "  I  trusted  that  man,  Charlie,  and 
I've  been  good  to  him,  mighty  good.  Why  he  should  go 
back  on  me  I  cannot  understand." 

"  I'll  tell  you  why !  "  exclaimed  his  son.  "  Richard 
Haverland  has  made  up  his  mind  to  make  his  reputation 
out  of  this  business,  that  is  all  he  cares  for.  He  cares 
nothing  for  money.  He  might  have  had  all  he  wanted 
and  he  threw  it  over  for  a  woman,  or  some  such  nonsense. 
He  cares  nothing  for  the  pleasures  of  life;  they  say  he 
just  grinds  away  at  his  work  like  a  cart-horse.  He  cares 
for  nothing  in  the  world  but  reputation.  Naturally  he 
is  consumed  with  vanity,  and  will  stop  at  nothing  that 
will  gratify  it." 

"  That  docs  not  explain  Keating's  weak-kneed,  white- 
livered  conduct,"  commented  Cadwell. 

"  Yes  it  does,"  replied  the  son.     "  Richard  Haver- 


208  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

land  has  the  persistence,  the  tenacity,  the  domineering, 
overmastering  power  of  his  father.  He  has  gotten 
Keating  into  a  corner  and  bully-ragged  some  kind  of  a 
confession  out  of  him.  Perhaps  in  return  he  has  prom 
ised  to  have  his  sentence  ameliorated  a  little." 

"  Keating  will  be  the  loser  in  the  end,  by  Jove !  "  said 
Cadwell  emphatically. 

"  It  is  the  present  moment  which  is  annoying  to  you," 
said  Charles.  "  Of  course  you  will  come  out  all  right, 
but  you  will  have  to  look  for  a  fight.  The  District  At 
torney  is  a  man  to  take  prompt  action;  I  am  surprised 
that  nothing  has  happened  this  evening." 

Thomas  Cadwell  set  his  lips.  "  I  have  always  been 
careful  not  to  come  any  closer  to  Keating  than  I  could 
possibly  help.  My  instructions  to  him  have  always  been 
of  a  general  character.  He  knew  exactly  what  was 
wanted  and  how  to  go  about  it." 

"  The  unsupported  testimony  of  a  man  like  Keating 
should  not  have  much  weight  if  the  matter  got  before 
a  jury,"  said  Charles  thoughtfully. 

"  It  must  not  come  before  a  jury,"  said  his  father 
looking  very  uncomfortable.  "  The  stigma  sticks  no 
matter  how  one  comes  out."  He  flicked  some  cigar  ash 
from  the  lapel  of  his  coat,  and  his  eye  rested  on  the 
flower  in  his  button-hole.  "  It  must  not  come  to  that, 
Charlie,"  he  repeated  earnestly,  his  thoughts  flying  to 
his  daughter  upstairs.  The  memory  lingered  of  the 
loving  pressure  of  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  he  felt 
a  sudden  unworthiness  of  her.  "  Damn  Keating !  "  he 
said  bitterly,  "  Damn  those  venal  little  Aldermen." 

"  I  should  think  that  old  man  Haverland  would  have 
some  interest  in  restraining  his  son,"  remarked  Charles. 

"  So  he  has,  as  much  interest  as  anybody,  only  the  old 


CADWELL  GETS  IT  AT  LAST          209 

badger  has  kept  out  of  politics  and  has  never  let  any 
thing  touch  him." 

"  I  should  think  that  you  who  stand  so  close  to  Hav- 
erland,  could  get  him  to  do  something  towards  checking 
this  erratic  son." 

"  He  has  tried,  but  you  must  know  that  if  there  is  one 
man  in  the  world  old  Haverland  cannot  control,  it  is  his 
own  son." 

"  What  we  must  try  to  do  is  to  get  at  Richard  Hav- 
erland's  reputation,"  said  Charles. 

"  Yes,  but  how.  He  is  a  model  of  purity,  civic  and 
domestic." 

"  So  much  the  better,  if  he  is  a  '  holier-than-thou ' 
fellow  he  will  be  all  the  more  jealous  of  his  reputation. 
What  we  must  do  is  to  get  hold  of  something  in  his 
private  life,  and  use  it." 

"  Yes,  but  we  can't  get  hold  of  anything." 

"  Oh,  we  may,"  replied  his  son  easily.  "  Any  little 
thing  may  serve  if  it  is  magnified  enough.  Now  I'll 
bet—" 

"  Listen !  "  exclaimed  his  father  suddenly  interrupting 
him. 

"  It's  the  electric  bell  of  the  front  door,"  said  Charles. 

"  It  may  be  the  — "  began  his  father  nervously. 

"  It  must  be  Brower.  I  told  him  to  come  around  as 
soon  as  he  could.  I  will  go  to  the  door  myself.  All  the 
servants  are  in  bed." 

Before  he  left  the  room,  Charles  came  up  to  his  father 
and  put  his  hand  on  his  shoulder.  "  You're  not  quite 
yourself  to-night." 

"  I  know  it.  I  feel  strangely  different  to-night.  The 
excitement  of  my  election,  and,  the  other  thing  have 
unnerved  me  a  little." 

"  Well,  brace  up !  " 

14 


210  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Charlie,"  replied  his  father  with  regained  firmness, 
"  did  you  ever  know  me  to  weaken  when  the  fight  was 
on?" 

"  I  never  have." 

"  Well,  I'm  not  going  to  begin  with  this  one." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO 

No  one  would  have  detected  in  the  carefully  shaven, 
carefully  dressed  Mr.  Cadwell,  who  walked  briskly  into 
his  office  at  the  usual  morning  hour,  the  agitated  man 
of  the  night  before. 

With  his  easy  manner  he  nodded  "  Good  morning " 
to  his  stylish  secretary,  and  took  up  his  mail.  On  top 
of  the  letters  was  a  yellow  pile  of  telegrams  congratu 
lating  him  upon  his  election  to  the  senate.  At  another 
time  they  would  have  been  the  most  palatable  reading, 
but  he  merely  glanced  at  them,  turned  them  over  to  his 
secretary  with: 

"  See  that  the  proper  acknowledgment  is  sent  to  each 
of  these,  Miss  Swift." 

Miss  Swift,  who  had  read  the  morning  papers,  ad 
mired  the  composure  with  which  he  lit  his  cigar,  and 
settled  himself  in  his  chair  for  work.  On  the  front  page 
of  a  leading  newspaper  he  could  see  himself  in  the  dress 
of  a  market-woman  with  basket  on  arm,  buying  Alder 
men  as  bunches  of  beets.  Cadwell  surveyed  this  picture 
coolly  enough,  smoking  slowly,  but  he  winced  inwardly. 
Although  he  looked  for  a  blow  at  any  time  rather  than 
a  soft  word,  he  was  frankly  astonished  at  the  enemies 
suddenly  unmasked.  He  had  always  made  a  special 
point  of  treating  all  newspaper-men  with  that  pretentious 
cordiality  which  came  so  easily,  and  it  hurt  him  to  have 
the  press  drive  its  shafts  at  him. 

211 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


He  tossed  the  paper  over  to  his  secretary.  "  Miss 
Swift,  tell  our  advertising  man  to  see  that  all  our  ad 
vertising  is  at  once  withdrawn  from  this  paper.  Do  that 
the  first  thing.  One  moment,  Miss  Swift,"  he  called  out, 
as  the  young  woman  started  on  the  errand  —  ,  "  that  is, 
unless  he  can  arrange  to  have  the  owners  make  a  retrac 
tion  and  an  apology.  And  Miss  Swift,  tell  him  to  take 
one  of  our  lawyers  with  him,  and  threaten  suit  for  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars." 

Miss  Swift's  silk  skirts  swept  through  the  door,  and 
Cadwell,  left  alone  for  a  moment,  pulled  at  his  heavy 
moustache  in  meditation.  He  had,  however,  little  time 
to  devote  to  thought,  for  the  next  minute  Bradford 
Oakes,  the  manager  of  the  Traction  Company,  came  in  to 
discuss  the  matter  of  additional  equipment,  which  ever- 
increasing  business  made  necessary.  Oakes  was  always 
keenly  intent  upon  the  work  in  hand,  and  straightway  he 
had  his  chief  deeply  immersed  in  a  roll  of  blue  prints. 
The  minds  of  the  two  men  were  concentrated  upon  this 
work  when  they  were  interrupted  by  a  caller.  This  man 
was  not  unexpected.  Cadwell  had  been  preparing  him 
self  for  his  arrival. 

"  Will  you  wait  a  few  minutes,"  he  said  with  a  wave 
of  the  hand  towards  a  chair,  "  I  want  my  lawyer.  Send 
for  Mr.  Browcr,"  he  called  out  to  his  clerk.  "  We  won't 
detain  you  long,"  he  explained  to  the  new  comer;  and 
turned  once  more  to  the  specifications  and  Mr.  Oakes. 

With  Mr.  Brower  came  Charles  Cadwell,  wearing  a 
bright  red  tie.  Outwardly  he  persisted  in  treating  the 
whole  affair  as  a  joke.  "  So  they  are  going  to  put  the 
Senator  in  jail,"  he  said  winking  at  Brower.  "  I've 
ordered  a  carriage  to  help  him  along." 

The  four  men  went  off  in  the  carriage,  leaving  Mr. 
Oakes  to  roll  up  the  blue  prints,  and  hurry  away  to 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO       213 

place  an  order  for  the  new  cars ;  and  Miss  Swift  to  send 
off  the  appropriate  answers  to  the  telegrams  of  con 
gratulations. 

"What  is  your  name?"  asked  Cadwell  of  the  cool- 
mannered  gentleman,  when  they  were  all  in  the  carriage. 

"  Stevens,"  replied  the  man,  taking  out  a  package  of 
uninviting  looking  chewing-tobacco  which  bore  the  title : 
"  Honest  John." 

They  drove  to  the  police-court,  the  two  Cadwells  and 
the  lawyer  chatting  easily  together,  while  their  silent 
companion  spat  at  regular  intervals  through  the  open 
window.  In  the  police-court  Brower  had  everything  in 
readiness,  bondsmen  were  immediately  forthcoming,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  the  senator-elect  walked  out  of  court, 
talking  and  laughing  with  his  lawyer  and  with  his  son, 
as  lightly  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

"  Don't  you  worry,"  said  Charles  to  his  father  con 
solingly,  "  you  have  as  good  a  chance  of  dying  in  a 
monastery  as  going  to  prison  on  that  charge." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  what  they  can  prove,"  said  Cad- 
well.  "  It  is  springing  it  at  just  this  time  which  hurts 
me.  It  gives  my  enemies  a  handle  which  they  are  not 
slow  to  grasp.  One  newspaper,  this  morning,  actually 
cast  aspersions  upon  the  methods  employed  in  my  elec 
tion  to  the  senate,  and  went  so  far  as  to  recommend  an 
investigation  in  that  quarter." 

"  This  investigation  habit  is  a  thing  to  be  discour 
aged,"  said  Charles,  knitting  his  brows.  "  It  takes  up  a 
great  deal  of  time  which  our  legislative  bodies  might 
employ  to  much  greater  advantage." 

"  You  can  never  tell  where  a  man  like  our  District  At 
torney  is  going  to  stop  when  he  once  begins  to  smell 
blood,"  said  Brower,  as  the  three  men  walked  down  the 
street. 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


No  one,  not  even  Richard  Haverland  himself,  could 
tell  where  the  District  Attorney  was  going  to  stop. 
With  Maier,  Sullivan  and  Keating  in  wholesome  con 
finement,  and  Thomas  Cadwell  out  on  bail,  the  Mills  of 
the  Gods  were  grinding  with  unusual  rapidity. 

Charles  had  been  twisting  his  small  moustache  in 
thought.  "  A  '  hold  '  on  a  man  is  sometimes  better  than 
a  '  pull,'  "  he  said  sententiously. 

"  You  can  never  get  a  '  hold '  on  any  man  who  bears 
the  name  of  Haverland,"  replied  his  father.  "  I'll  bet 
that  this  Richard  has  been  as  careful  and  circumspect 
as  the  old  man  himself  " ;  and  the  subsequent  remarks 
of  the  forcible  "  Senator "  Cadwell  reflected  upon  the 
entire  family  tree. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  remarked  Charles.  "  I  have  un 
ravelled  one  thread  in  the  life  of  our  virtuous  public 
prosecutor,  and  it  may  lead  to  something  interesting." 

"  That's  the  second  time  you've  hinted  darkly  at  some 
thing,  Charlie.  What  is  it?" 

"  Wait,"  replied  his  faithful  son.  "  If  it  does  lead 
to  anything,  you  shall  hear."  And  bidding  good  day  to 
the  senator-elect  and  his  eminent  legal  adviser,  Charles 
Cadwell  walked  jauntily  away,  to  take  a  path  which  he 
frequented  in  his  hours  of  dalliance.  The  way  led  to 
the  abode  of  a  lady, —  Mrs.  Cherida  Delafield. 

He  had  been  attentive  to  her  since  the  memorable  night 
of  Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer's  fete.  At  first  she  had  laughed 
at  his  presumption  and  affected  to  treat  him  as  a  stupid 
boy.  But  his  dullness  was  of  the  persistent,  self -cen 
tered  sort,  and  his  skin  was  too  thick  to  mind  rebuffs, 
so  he  continued  his  clumsy  wooing.  He  knew  only  one 
road, —  that  of  material  offerings,  and  he  bombarded  the 
fortress  with  rich  gifts.  Nature  not  having  constructed 
this  fortress  of  her  strongest  materials,  it  must  not  be 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO       215 

too  severely  condemned  for  yielding, —  as  it  finally  did 
after  a  period  during  which  the  light  of  young  Cad- 
well's  presence  and  his  automobile,  had  been  diplo 
matically  withdrawn.  When  they  returned,  Cherida  ac 
cepted  what  seemed  to  her  to  be  the  inevitable ;  rode  in 
her  own  automobile,  and  enjoyed  those  other  luxuries  of 
life  which  were  her  necessities. 

During  the  past  two  or  three  years  there  had  been  a 
slight  change  in  Cherida  Delafield's  appearance.  She 
had  lost  a  little  of  that  exquisite  coloring  and  soft  tex 
ture  of  her  skin;  the  once  delicately  drawn  lines  of  her 
chin  had  become  a  little  obscured  by  an  ounce  or  two 
of  superfluous  flesh.  Long  association  with  Charles 
Cadwell  had  somewhat  coarsened  her.  She  was  still  a 
young  woman,  and  still  an  attractive  woman  —  so  very 
attractive  that  few  men  would  have  discovered  that  she 
was  less  beautiful, —  and  only  the  more  discerning  eye 
of  woman  could  see  that  Cherida  had  "  gone  off  "  a  little 
in  her  looks. 

The  tie  of  friendship  which  had  bound  Cherida  and 
Mildred  Haverland  for  so  many  years  had  been  broken 
for  some  time.  It  had  snapped  suddenly.  The  exact 
reason  was  never  given,  but  Cherida,  dropping  from  the 
circle  of  her  old  friends,  had  formed  newer  friendships 
elsewhere.  She  lived  thus,  quietly  enough;  apparently 
alone,  except  for  one  woman  companion ;  entertaining  a 
little ;  going  out  a  good  deal ;  doing  pretty  much  as  she 
pleased  within  certain  bounds,  so  that  she  escaped  open 
scandal,  although  the  tongue  of  gossip  was  often  set  in 
motion.  Whenever  its  tales  reached  her  ears  she  dis 
missed  them  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulder  or  a  lifting  of 
the  eyebrows. 

Young  Cadwell  entered  this  lady's  salon  with  his  cus 
tomary  aplomb,  was  announced  by  the  maid,  and  sat 


216  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

down  upon  the  divan  among  the  soft  pillows.  There 
was  rather  a  close  air  of  luxury  about  the  small  apart 
ment.  The  portieres  were  rather  dark  in  color  and 
rather  heavy  for  the  size  of  the  room,  and  there  were 
too  many  "  objets  d'art  et  de  vertu."  Cherida  loved 
luxury  and  pretty  things  as  a  cat  loves  cream  and  a 
warm  fire;  loving  these  things  first  of  all,  she  had  them. 

Cherida  kept  Mr.  Cadwell  waiting  some  time;  she 
never  hurried  for  anyone.  From  moment  to  moment  he 
glanced  impatiently  at  the  clock,  drummed  with  his  feet, 
fingered  the  leaves  of  an  edition  de  luxe  of  one  of  de 
Maupassant's  novels  which  lay  on  the  table,  and  finally 
lit  a  cigarette  which  he  smoked  rapidly,  throwing  the 
half-consumed  portion  across  the  room  at  the  grate.  He 
had  disposed  of  several  cigarettes  in  this  way  before 
Cherida  entered  the  room.  She  came  through  the  por 
tieres  with  rather  an  indifferent,  listless  manner,  dressed 
in  an  expensive  house-gown,  couleur  de  rose,  her  blond 
hair  coiled  high  upon  her  head.  Her  cheeks  had  been 
faintly  touched  with  a  color  matching  her  gown. 

Charles  raised  his  heavy  form  rather  clumsily  from 
the  low  sofa,  to  greet  her. 

"  You're  getting  stouter  every  day,  Charlie.  You 
remind  me  of  a  big  fish  rising  slowly  to  the  surface,"  she 
said  with  a  laugh,  disdaining  to  flatter  him. 

"  I  can  always  rise  to  the  occasion,  when  it  is  worth 
it,"  he  replied,  without  pique. 

She  stopped  suddenly  with  dilated  nostrils,  and  held 
up  a  finger. 

"  You  know  I  only  allow  one  kind  of  cigarette,  and 
what  have  you  been  smoking?  Something  perfectly 
vile ! " 

"  I  assure  you,  Cherida,  that  they  are  the  most  ex 
pensive  — " 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO      217 

"  But  not  my  kind.  Don't  argue,  but  open  the  win 
dow." 

He  obeyed  cheerfully. 

"  Thank  you ;  now  get  me  the  atomizer ;  it  is  on  the 
dressing-table  in  the  next  room." 

He  brought  it  to  her  with  the  same  docile  obedience. 

"  Oh  Cadwell,  mon  ami,  shall  I  never  make  anything 
of  you?  Can  you  never  learn  the  subtlety  of  odors? 
There  is  but  one  kind  of  tobacco  which  harmonizes  with 
my  surroundings,  and  you  will  persist  in  smoking  any 
kind  the  moment  my  back  is  turned.  Now  I  must  deod 
orize  you,"  and  she  sent  a  delicate  spray  over  his  large 
person. 

"  It  is  not  at  all  bad,"  he  remarked,  drawing  in  his 
breath. 

"  I  should  hope  not.  It's  a  most  expensive  perfume. 
I  have  it  made  tout  expres  in  Paris,  and  now  I'm  wasting 
it  on  you." 

"  Tell  me  what  it  is,  and  I  will  send  you  a  dozen 
bottles,"  he  said,  taking  the  atomizer  from  her  and  ex 
amining  it. 

"  No,  I'll  not  tell  you."  She  leaned  her  chin  on  her 
hand,  and  bent  towards  him  with  a  sly  smile.  "  I'll  not 
tell  you;  you  will  be  giving  the  same  perfume  to  some 
other  woman." 

Charles  laughed  in  a  self-satisfied  way.  "  I  see  you 
know  me." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  indolently  picked  up 
a  book  from  the  table. 

"  However,  I  did  not  call  this  afternoon  to  indulge 
in  badinage,"  he  said.  "  I  came  to  ask  you  a  question." 

"  What  question  ?  "  she  inquired  rather  indifferently, 
turning  the  pages. 


218  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  How  did  you  get  Richard  Haverland  to  pay  your 
bills?" 

She  raised  her  head  quickly  to  look  at  him,  apparently 
moved  merely  by  curiosity. 

"  How  did  you  know  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  are  so  very  careless  about  keeping  old  docu 
ments,  and  leaving  them  about." 

"  You  have  been  to  my  escritoire." 

"  Not  for  the  purpose  of  making  any  discoveries.  I 
stumbled  upon  an  old  communication  from  a  firm  of  law 
yers,  and  — " 

"  And  you  read  it."     She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I'm  not  a  blind  man.     My  eyes  are  very  keen." 

"  Keener  than  your  sense  of  honor." 

"  Very  likely,"  he  replied  with  a  laugh.  "  Come  now, 
tell  me  all  about  it." 

Mrs.  Delafield  gave  him  a  searching  look,  and  said 
quietly :  "  You  don't  respect  me,  Charles  Cadwell,  do 
you?" 

"  Oh  come  now,  Cherida,"  he  laughed. 

"  Do  you,  or  do  you  not?  "  she  insisted. 

"  Why  that  does  not  enter  into  my  feeling  for  you 
one  way  or  another.  I  don't  think  of  it." 

"  Whether  you  respect  me  or  not  makes  no  difference 
to  me,"  she  said  lightly. 

"  Why  should  it,"  he  replied  in  the  same  manner.  "  I 
don't  think  that  I  respect  anyone." 

"  If,"  she  continued  slowly,  looking  into  his  face,  "  I 
told  you  that  there  was  nothing  more  to  it,  you  would  not 
believe  me,  would  you  ?  " 

"  Why  of  course  not." 

"  Then  I  won't  tell  you  anything." 

"  He  wrote  you  this,"  he  said,  handing  her  a  letter. 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO 

She  read  it  and  coolly  handed  it  back  to  him. 
"  Where  did  you  find  that?  " 

"  It  was  lying  in  the  drawer  of  the  desk.  I  only  took 
it  to  show  to  you." 

"  Let  me  see  it  again,"  she  said,  putting  out  her 
hand.  She  read  it  once  more,  and  her  lip  curled  with  a 
slight  smile.  "  Why,  that  note  is  at  least  three  years 
old.  It  is  perfectly  innocent,  too.  Only  an  invitation 
to  go  out  in  his  automobile." 

"  Yes,  innocent  —  as  are  many  persons  —  on  their 
faces,"  he  replied ;  "  and  it  is  not  dated." 

"  What  of  that?  "  she  asked  quickly. 

"  Cherida,"  he  exclaimed  with  sudden  earnestness, 
"  suppose  that  the  District  Attorney  should  find  out  that 
I  knew  all  about  it." 

"  About  what?  " 

"  About  his,  well,  —  I  will  call  it  by  the  gentler  name 
of  flirtation,  with  you.  Suppose  it  should  be  brought 
home  to  him  that  the  prosecution  of  Thomas  Cadwell 
would  mean  his  own  ruin  ?  " 

While  he  was  speaking  Cherida  listened  closely,  but 
as  he  ended,  she  burst  out  laughing.  "  I  want  you  to 
believe  me,  if  only  for  your  own  sake ;  there  is  absolutely 
nothing  in  this  matter." 

He  looked  incredulous. 

"  You  see,"  she  went  on,  much  amused,  "  this  comes 
of  judging  everybody  by  your  own  standard." 

"  I  know  enough  to  make  a  scandal  anyway,"  he  re 
plied  doggedly.  "  This  letter  is,  as  you  say,  innocent 
on  its  face.  It  is  undated  —  at  present  —  A  few  words 
added  above  the  signature  —  there  is  room  —  will 
change  its  face." 

"  You  would  not  dare  do  that,  Charlie,  would  you  ?  " 
Cherida  asked,  looking  a  little  frightened. 


220  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  I  would  do  anything  to  beat  the  District  Attorney, 
and  you  must  help  me." 

"  I  should  love  to  discredit  him,  if  it  could  be  done 
without  — "  she  began  slowly  — "  Of  course,  Charlie," 
she  said  quickly,  "  if  you  should  fail  to  intimidate  him, 
you  really  would  not  try  to  make  any  further  use  of 
your  information." 

"  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  go  to  greater  length  than 
to  threaten  him.  I  think  I  understand  that  kind  of  a 
man.  To  him  reputation  is  everything.  It  is  his  vul 
nerable  point.  Oh,  let  me  only  succeed  in  getting  at 
this  District  Attorney !  " 

"  I  should  like  to  see  him  humiliated,"  she  replied, 
"  if  you  can  do  it  in  private  and  gain  your  point.  But 
I  fear—" 

"  I'll  run  the  risk,"  he  interrupted. 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  the  risk  you  ran,"  she  said. 

"  He  took  from  his  pocket  the  note  which  he  had 
kept.  "  It  can  be  easily  done  —  a  few  words  cleverly 
forged  — " 

"  Oh,  Charlie,  don't  call  it  by  that  horrid  name,"  cried 
Cherida. 

Young  Cadwell  laughed,  and  left  her,  strengthened 
as  to  his  intention.  He  was  still  of  the  belief  that  she 
had  not  told  him  all  the  truth;  that  the  letter  which  he 
held,  innocent  as  it  appeared  on  its  face,  had  not  ema 
nated  from  an  innocent  mind,  and  that  he  would  be 
really  indicating  its  true  spirit  by  supplying  a  word  or 
so  from  his  own  imagination. 

Full  of  these  thoughts,  and  feeling  himself  in  a  posi 
tion  to  make  terms  with  the  District  Attorney,  he  went 
straight  to  that  gentleman's  office. 

Richard  Haverland  was  easily  accessible  to  all  those 
who  were  willing  to  wait  their  turn,  and  at  the  end  of 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO 

a  half  hour,  spent  with  internal  fuming,  young  Mr. 
Cadwell  was  ushered  in  to  the  shabby  room  with  its 
well-worn  carpet,  and  stiff  leather  furniture. 

"  I  want  to  talk  to  you,  privately,  Mr.  Haverland," 
he  said  politely. 

The  District  Attorney  looked  up  at  him,  taking  in 
every  detail,  from  his  sleek  hair  and  double  chin,  to  his 
patent  leather  boots  and  brown  gaiters.  He  got  up  and 
closed  the  door,  and  motioned  his  caller  to  a  seat  upon 
the  leather  covered  sofa. 

"What  can  I  do  for  you,  Mr.  Cadwell?"  he  asked 
pleasantly. 

"  Mr.  Haverland,  I  want  to  know  the  real  cause  of 
your  enmity  toward  my  father,"  asked  Charles  quietly. 

"  I  have  no  enmity  towards  him." 

"  Then  why  are  you  trying  to  drag  his  name  in  the 
mire?" 

"  I  have  no  enmity  towards  your  father,  or  towards 
any  other  man,"  repeated  the  District  Attorney  thought 
fully.  "  Your  father  has  been  implicated  in  a  grave 
crime;  if  his  name  gets  in  the  mire  it  is  not  I  who  put 
it  there.  I  am  truly  sorry  that  your  father's  name  is 
identified  with  this  case."  Straightening  himself  in  his 
chair  with  a  sudden  closing  of  the  jaw,  he  added :  "  But 
it  is  there;  and  for  me  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  to 
proceed  with  the  trial." 

His  vehemence  startled  Charles  Cadwell.  Instinctively 
he  turned  his  head,  as  if  the  words  had  been  addressed, 
not  to  him,  but  to  some  unseen  person  beyond. 

"  But  what  is  your  motive,  Mr.  Haverland.  You 
have  so  little  to  gain.  This  is  really  a  very  small  mat 
ter,  and  Thomas  Cadwell, —  though  his  son  says  it  — 
is  such  a  big  man." 


222  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

The  District  Attorney  was  silent.  Merely  looking  at 
Charles  Cadwell  with  his  cool,  impenetrable  gaze. 

Charles,  taking  much  credit  for  his  own  self-control, 
continued:  "My  father  had  just  been  elected  to  the 
United  States  Senate  — "  he  paused,  there  was  no  change 
in  the  District  Attorney's  manner.  "  All  this  talk  is 
spreading  through  the  country,  and  it  is  hurting  him. 
I  won't  deny  that  it  is  hurting  him.  Now-a-days  a  man 
only  has  to  be  accused  of  being  corrupt,  and  the  multi 
tude  set  up  a  howl  that  he  is  guilty.  The  very  small- 
ness  of  this  particular  case  makes  it  rather  worse  than 
otherwise,  for  people  are  beginning  to  ridicule  father." 

"  Public  suspicion  is  so  easily  aroused  because  the  dis 
ease  itself  is  so  wide-spread  and  is  so  contagious,  but 
in  spite  of  clamor  on  cither  side  your  father  shall  have 
a  fair  and  impartial  trial." 

"  He  shall  not !  "  said  Charles  angrily.  "  I  mean  you 
shall  not  try  him  at  all.  I  am  in  a  position  to  say  to 
you  —  '  Drop  this  case  or  I  will  let  loose  a  scandal  which 
will  ruin  you.'  I  know  what  political  ambition  is  to  you. 
I  can  blast  your  reputation  and  your  career." 

"  I  don't  think  that  you  can  do  that,  Mr.  Cadwell," 
replied  the  District  Attorney. 

"  I  think  I  can,"  and  the  young  man  rubbed  his  chin. 

Charles  continued :  "  You  are  a  deep  one,  Mr.  Haver- 
land,  and  you  may  fool  some  of  the  people,  but  you  can't 
fool  me." 

"  Is  this  blackmail,  Mr.  Cadwell  ?  "  asked  the  District 
Attorney  suddenly. 

"  Call  it  what  you  please,"  replied  Charles,  "  I  know 
something  which,  once  out,  will  spread  all  over  the  coun 
try  like  fire  in  prairie  grass.  How  would  this  look  in 
the  newspapers :  '  Our  public  prosecutor,  so  noted  for 
his  probity  is  equally  famous  for  his  generosity,  etc., 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO       223 

etc.*  Then  the  details.  You  see  I  hold  you,  Mr.  Dis 
trict  Attorney." 

"  And  in  order  to  injure  me  you  are  quite  willing  to 
sacrifice  the  reputation  of  a  lady,  for  I  presume,  from 
your  demeanor  that  there  is  a  lady  in  the  case." 

"  I'm  not  responsible  for  anybody's  reputation." 

"And  you  think  it  will  injure  my  reputation?" 
queried  Richard. 

"  It  will  smash  it  as  if  it  were  glass.  A  howl  will  go 
up  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other.  You  see, 
Haverland,  you  have  committed  the  error  of  always 
posing  as  a  good  man,  so  one  scandal  will  ruin  you. 
Some  men  it  wouldn't  harm  a  bit.  Take  me  for  instance, 
it  would  only  serve  to  advertise  me.  People  would  only 
laugh." 

"  And  you  think  that  in  my  case  they  will  not 
laugh  ?  "  inquired  the  District  Attorney,  seriously. 

"  Yes  they  will,  they  will  shout,  but  you  will  be  turned 
down.  You  see  you  owe  your  support  to  an  element 
which  will  be  disappointed  in  you  in  case  of  any  scandal. 
Take  away  their  support  and  you  will  drop  dead  politi 
cally.  You  are  keen  enough  to  see  that." 

After  a  short  pause  the  District  Attorney  asked  an 
other  question :  "  Are  you  quite  sure  that  you  can 
prove  your  statements,  Mr.  Cadwell?  Suppose  I  should 
sue  the  sensational  newspapers  for  libel?" 

Young  Cadwell  gave  a  smile  of  great  finesse.  "  I 
shall  not  give  them  too  much  —  But  I  shall  give  them 
enough.  There  need  be  only  a  foundation  to  build  on, 
and  the  rest  will  grow." 

"  All  right,  go  ahead ! "  said  the  District  Attorney 
suddenly. 

For  a  moment  young  Cadwell  was  non-plussed.     "  Do 


224,  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

you  defy  me,"  he  exclaimed,  "  without  even  attempting 
to  come  to  an  understanding?  " 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,"  was  the  quiet  re 
joinder. 

"  You  sing  bravely  enough  now,"  cried  Charles,  "  but 
wait  until  this  matter  really  comes  to  light.  I  have 
more  than  one  card  up  my  sleeve." 

"  There  is  where  I  should  look  for  it,"  replied  the 
District  Attorney.  "  And  now  I  have  given  you  all  the 
time  I  can  spare  to-day." 

"  I  will  give  you  the  night  in  which  to  think  it  over," 
said  Charles  Cadwell, — "  to  think  it  over  coolly." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,"  replied  the  District  At 
torney,  "  I  have  been  thinking  it  over  while  you  were 
sitting  here." 

Almost  before  he  knew  it,  Charles  found  himself  out 
side  the  door.  Rendered  furious  by  the  indifference  of 
the  District  Attorney,  and  inwardly  vowing  vengence, 
he  hurried  back  to  Mrs.  Delafield's.  He  found  her  in 
her  cosey  salon,  the  picture  of  contentment,  in  the  com 
panionship  of  a  French  novel  and  an  Egyptian  cigar 
ette. 

"  Well  ?  "  she  said,  lifting  her  marked  eye-brows  in 
dolently. 

He  waited  until  the  maid  had  left  them,  and  then  he 
gave  full  vent  to  his  feelings. 

The  woman,  leaning  back  in  her  chair,  listened  to  his 
account  of  his  interview  with  the  District  Attorney,  with 
a  curious  smile  upon  her  lips. 

"  Quand'meme,  U  etait  magnifique,"  she  murmured, 
speaking  French,  as  was  her  habit  when  her  emotions 
were  stirred. 

"  I'm  not  done  with  him  yet,"  cried  Charles,  "  and  I 
want  your  help." 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO      225 

He  had  risen  to  his  feet  and  was  looking  down  at 
her  with  his  jaw  set. 

She  liked  him  better  when  he  played  the  master. 
There  was  an  animalism  about  the  man  which  could  sway 
her,  although  he  had  never  possessed  either  her  affec 
tion  or  respect,  and  now  she  summoned  her  forces  to 
resist  him. 

"  He  may  think  differently  when  his  domestic  hap 
piness  is  threatened.  There's  where  you  come  in,  Che- 
rida." 

She  raised  herself  quickly  in  her  chair.  "  I'll  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it,  Mr.  Cadwell." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  he  asked  angrily. 

"  Just  what  I  say.  You  can't  frighten  that  man, 
Charles  Cadwell.  You  had  better  give  up  the  idea." 

"  I  shall  not !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  If  I  can't  make  him 
weaken,  I  can  publish  something  that  will  ruin  him." 

Cherida  started  up.  "  But  you  wouldn't  do  that. 
You  wouldn't  sacrifice  my  reputation  just  to  revenge 
yourself  upon  him.  For  that  is  all  it  would  amount  to." 

"  Your  reputation,"  he  laughed.  "  I'm  tired  of  hear 
ing  about  it.  You  are  like  every  other  woman  who 
thinks  she  has  a  reputation,  long  after  it  has  been  torn 
to  shreds." 

"  But  you  don't  understand,"  she  cried.  "  It  has 
never  been  done  publicly." 

"  I  can't  help  that." 

"  Charlie,"  she  pleaded,  "  listen  to  me ;  you  must  not 
do  this.  I  won't  let  you  do  it!  You  don't  understand. 
My  reputation  is  something  to  me.  I'm  not  a  bad 
woman.  I'm  not  really  a  bad  woman." 

There  was  a  pathos  in  her  tone  which  would  have 
touched  almost  any  man  but  Cadwell. 

"  I  have  known  worse,"  he  replied. 

15 


226  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Her  eyes  flashed  at  him.  "  You  need  not  tell  me.  I 
believe  you.  You  are  bad,  thoroughly  bad,  but  you 
cannot  drag  me  any  further  into  this.  Do  what  you 
like;  publish  your  story.  I  will  come  out  and  tell  the 
truth,  and  tell  how  you  tried  to  force  me  to  enter  into 
a  conspiracy  against  the  District  Attorney.  The  truth 
will  carry  weight.  Your  disclosure  will  fall  flat  under 
it.  You  may  be  able  to  make  a  sensation,  but  you  won't 
injure  him,  and  you  will  injure  yourself  most  of  all. 
You  dare,  Mr.  Cadwell.  You  dare  to  do  it,  and  you 
shall  see." 

Young  Cadwell  whistled.  "  I  must  confess  I  don't 
understand  you  to-night,  Cherida." 

"  Of  course  you  don't.  You  never  have,  for  you  are 
thoroughly  bad,  and  worse  than  that,  you're  coarse  and 
you're  vulgar,  and  I  hate  you !  " 

"  What  are  you?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  am  refined  —  to  the  tips  of  my  fingers,"  and  she 
shook  her  white  hands,  "  while  you  are  hopelessly  vul 
gar.  I  have  had  enough  of  you.  Please  leave  my 
apartment  and  never  enter  it  again." 

"  Your  apartment  — "  he  began,  and  stopped,  actually 
abashed  by  the  look  she  gave  him. 

"  Mr.  Cadwell,  go  at  once,  if  you  please,"  and  she 
rang  the  bell  for  the  maid. 

Charles  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  And  I  want  you  to  fully  understand  me.  I  do  not 
wish  you  ever  to  set  foot  in  my  home  again.  Twice 
you've  smoked  the  wrong  kind  of  tobacco.  I'm  sick  of 
you." 

He  picked  up  his  hat  and  coat  angrily. 

"  You  will  feel  differently  tomorrow,"  he  said. 

"  Good  night,"  she  replied,  "  and  good-bye !  Marie, 
show  Mr.  Cadwell  to  the  door," 


THE  WRONG  KIND  OF  TOBACCO      227 

Young  Cadwell  left  her  for  his  club,  where  he  sat  for 
an  hour  thinking  the  affair  over  in  a  tempestuous  mood, 
while  Cherida  went  to  bed  and  fell  immediately  into  a 
seraphic  sleep  which  fortunately  for  humanity  does  not 
confine  its  visitations  to  the  pillows  of  the  virtuous. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

CHERIDA    MAKES    AN    EXCHANGE 

Charles  Cadwell  had  been  bluffing.  He  had  never 
thought  he  would  be  brought  to  the  issue  of  making 
public  that  which  he  believed  to  be  a  slip  on  the  part 
of  the  austere  District  Attorney.  He  merely  wanted  to 
profit  by  it.  And  although  he  cared  no  more  for  Che- 
rida  Delafield's  reputation  than  he  did  for  his  own,  he 
had  no  desire  to  advertise  her  past.  Now  however, 
smarting  under  the  castigation  which  he  had  received 
at  her  white  hands  he  evolved  an  article  which  was  in 
spired  by  all  the  malice  of  the  meaner  side  of  his  nature. 
He  arrayed  his  facts  so  that  they  told  the  story  by 
implication,  and  this  interesting  bit  of  fiction  he  took  to 
the  office  of  a  newspaper  which  although  of  shady  repu 
tation,  was  allowed  to  circulate  in  the  light  of  day,  and 
was  read  openly  by  a  large  number  of  unthinking  per 
sons. 

The  editor,  a  friend  of  his  by  natural  affinity,  re 
ceived  the  contribution  with  alacrity. 

"  Reamer,  here  is  something  for  your  Sunday  issue. 
You  may  want  to  make  a  feature  of  it." 

The  editor  glanced  at  the  manuscript  and  then  tossed 
it  into  a  pigeon-hole. 

"  You  won't  forget." 

"  I  never  forget  my  own  business,"  said  Reamer.  "  I 
want  to  read  it  again  before  I  send  it  upstairs." 

"  Good,"  said  Charles,  and  he  hurried  away  to  busi- 


CHERIDA  MAKES  AN  EXCHANGE      229 

ness,  better  satisfied  with  himself,  and  smiling  as  he  pic 
tured  the  feelings  of  the  refined  Cherida  when  she  saw 
herself  as  he  had  drawn  her. 

Cherida  Delafield  had  her  own  plans.  She  knew 
Charles  Cadwell  as  well  as  he  knew  himself.  She  knew 
that  Reamer  edited  the  worst  newspaper  in  town,  and 
therefore  she  argued  that  Charles  would  naturally  gravi 
tate  towards  it. 

Clarence  Reamer  was  sitting  in  his  office,  superintend 
ing  the  preparation  of  the  fiction  which  was  daily  dissem 
inated  from  those  headquarters  under  the  title  of  news, 
when  a  lady  came  within  his  range  of  vision. 

It  was  a  very  difficult  matter  to  penetrate  the  inner 
circle  of  Mr.  Reamer's  laboratory,  but  Cherida  never 
stopped  at  difficulties.  She  was  dressed  in  heliotrope 
from  hat  to  stockings,  which  were  attractively  visible  be 
tween  the  hem  of  her  skirt  and  a  dainty  pair  of  patent 
leathers.  If  Cherida  had  any  one  vanity  more  than  an 
other,  it  was  her  chaussure. 

The  editor,  looking  up,  forgot  to  resent  this  inter 
ruption.  He  paused  in  his  occupation  of  the  home 
manufacture  of  foreign  items  to  contemplate  with  ap 
proval  this  shapely  model  of  feminine  beauty  and  mil 
linery  art.  He  was  a  man  with  a  tired  face  and  jaded 
air. 

"  Mr.  Reamer,"  she  began,  "  you  are  a  very  busy  man, 
and  I'm  not  going  to  take  up  very  many  moments  of 
your  valuable  time." 

Mr.  Reamer  twisted  a  moustache  already  very  much 
frayed  by  continued  twisting  and  gnawings  during  mo 
ments  of  intense  composition. 

"  Charles  Cadwell,"  continued  the  lady  emphatically, 
"  has  gotten  up  the  most  outrageous,  libellous  story 
about  me,  and  has  given  it  to  you  to  publish." 


230  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Mr.  Reamer,  his  business  instinct  awake,  looked  per 
fectly  blank. 

"  I  know  he  has,  Mr.  Reamer,  and  I  don't  want  you 
to  publish  it." 

Mr.  Reamer  knew  nothing  about  it. 

"  You  don't  want  to  be  sued  for  libel,  do  you  ?  "  was 
her  next  question. 

"  My  dear  madam,  we  never  publish  anything  libellous, 
and  we  have  the  best  lawyers  in  the  city  at  our  com 
mand." 

"  Mr.  Reamer,"  she  replied  with  a  change  of  tone. 
"  I'm  only  a  woman,  and  I'm  no  match  for  the  mighty 
engine  of  the  press,  but  I  want  to  ask  you  this :  Would 
you  like  to  have  your  reputation  swept  away  by  the 
breath  of  scandal  when  it  isn't  even  true  ?  " 

Mr.  Reamer,  being  imaginative  only  in  the  exercise  of 
his  vocation,  looked  bored. 

"  So  I  have  a  business  proposition  to  make  to  you." 

The  editor  became  more  animated. 

"  I  know  you  have  to  have  just  so  much  space  filled, 
so  I  have  brought  you  something  to  take  the  place  of 
that  story  of  Mr.  Cadwell's.  She  produced  from  her 
reticule,  and  handed  him  a  neatly  written  manuscript. 
"  It  is  ever  so  much  more  amusing  than  that  horrid 
thing  he  gave  you.  It's  about  him,  and  its  true,  too." 

The  editor  read  the  manuscript  smiling.  The  fur 
ther  he  read  the  broader  he  smiled,  and  he  ended  with 
a  laugh. 

"  Can't  we  make  a  trade,  Mr.  Reamer  ?  "  asked  Che- 
rida  in  her  most  ingenuous  air. 

Mr.  Reamer  took  a  manuscript  from  the  pigeon-hole 
and  handed  it  to  her  without  a  word. 

"  I  thank  you  very  much,"  she  replied  with  an  accent 
of  real  gratitude, 


CHERIDA  MAKES  AN  EXCHANGE      231 

The  editor  was  looking  at  her  story  again. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  he  said,  as  she  was  about  to  go. 
"  Can't  you  furnish  us  with  a  short,  snappy  society 
letter  for  every  Sunday  issue  ?  " 

"  I  should  be  very  pleased  to  try,"  she  replied  laugh 
ing. 

"  Send  us  something  next  week,  and  if  it  is  half  as 
good  as  this  we  will  take  it,  and  something  every  week. 
We  may  be  able  to  make  a  feature  of  you.  Good  morn- 
ing." 

The  pretty  heliotrope  gown  walked  gayly  away,  and 
Cherida  smiled  pleasantly  to  herself  as  she  pictured 
Charles  Cadwell's  face  when  he  read  the  Sunday  paper. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE    MAN    WITH    THE    BROKEN    NOSE 

Thomas  Cadwell  had  discarded  silence  and  come  out 
into  the  open  to  fight.  "  I  am  innocent,"  he  declared 
loudly.  "  I  court  the  fullest  inquiry !  I  demand  an 
investigation  and  complete  vindication !  This  affair  has 
now  reached  a  point  where  nothing  can  satisfy  my  honor 
but  to  meet  my  accusers  face  to  face  in  open  court,  re 
fute  their  charges,  and  silence  forever  my  calumniators." 
He  also  engaged  the  best  legal  talent  in  the  country  for 
his  defense. 

The  opportunity  to  meet  his  accusers  face  to  face 
was  duly  given  him,  and  on  the  Monday  morning  when 
his  case  was  called  to  trial,  the  large  defendant,  accom 
panied  by  his  son  Charles,  drove  down  town  to  the  court 
house. 

Charles  had  the  Sunday  paper  in  his  pocket,  and 
was  looking  down  in  the  mouth.  He  was  debating  in 
his  mind  whether  to  horsewhip  Reamer,  or  to  sue  him  for 
libel.  He  finally  decided  to  do  neither.  Reamer  had 
the  reputation  of  being  a  "  bad  man,"  and  Charles  Cad- 
well  was  not  a  bold  one.  Also,  he  feared  that  if  he  be 
gan  one  libel  suit  against  the  newspaper  he  would  stir 
up  such  a  nest  of  yellow  hornets  as  would  keep  him 
busy  rubbing  his  skin  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  So  he 
swallowed  his  chagrin  and  wrath,  only  giving  vent  to  his 
feelings  by  internally  cursing  everyone  connected  with 
the  affair:  the  District  Attorney,  who  was  unscathed, 

232 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BROKEN  NOSE   233 

the  woman  who  had  beaten  him,  and  Reamer  who  had 
played  double.  He  read  the  story  again,  after  the 
manner  of  one  who  takes  a  grim  satisfaction  in  aggra 
vating  his  own  wounds.  Cherida  had  based  the  story 
upon  what  she  knew  of  him,  which  was  much,  and  upon 
what  he  had  told  her,  which  was  more, —  and  had  drawn 
him  as  he  pictured  himself,  while  allowing  her  readers 
to  see  him  as  he  really  was.  She  told  a  story  of  finan 
cial  dishonesty  and  domestic  intrigue,  in  the  same  subtle 
maner  which  should  have  appealed  to  his  own  mean 
spirit,  and  as  he  reread  it,  and  saw  how  closely  she  fol 
lowed  the  truth,  while  holding  something  in  reserve,  he 
was  doubly  impressed  with  the  wisdom  of  silence,  and 
could  only  calm  himself  with  prayers  for  vengeance. 

It  was  thus  that  father  and  son  rode  to  court. 
Thomas  Cadwell  showed  no  signs  of  nervousness.  He 
had  passed  the  nervous  stage,  his  fighting  blood  was  at 
white  heat,  and  he  was  determined  to  win.  He  smoked 
his  cigar,  and  looked  over  the  morning's  mail,  which  he 
had  not  had  time  to  read  at  the  office.  Occasionally  he 
made  an  endorsement  on  the  back  of  a  paper  with  the 
stub  of  a  lead  pencil,  and  handed  it  over  to  his  son. 

"  Charlie,  here  are  the  estimated  earnings  for  the 
third  week ;  they  ought  to  be  published  at  once." 

"  I  sent  them  over  the  tape  just  before  we  left  the 
office,"  replied  the  son. 

"  Very  good,"  commented  the  father.  "  They  show  a 
substantial  increase.  That  ought  to  be  a  bull  point  on 
the  stock." 

Charles  nodded. 

His  father  went  on  with  his  instructions :  "  Answer 
McCord,  and  tell  him  that  I  will  come  out  to  see  him 
as  soon  as  I  get  this  trial  off  my  hands.  Here  are  the 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


plans  of  the  new  boat-house.  Look  them  over  and  tell 
me  how  they  strike  you." 

Charles  took  each  paper  as  it  was  handed  to  him,  and 
put  it  in  his  pocket  for  future  attention. 

"  And  Charlie,"  remarked  Cadwell,  "  the  trial  may  last 
for  some  time.  See  that  I  get  the  opening  and  the 
closing  quotations  daily,  and  keep  me  posted  generally 
in  regard  to  the  market." 

"  You  can  always  count  on  me,"  replied  his  son  duti- 
fully. 

They  were  approaching  the  city-square,  and  the 
county  court-house  loomed  up  before  them,  a  grey  pile 
of  granite  against  a  pale  blue  winter  sky.  There  had 
been  a  light  fall  of  snow  during  the  night,  which  had 
thrown  a  mantle  of  ermine  over  the  shoulders  of  the 
statute  of  justice  standing  at  the  head  of  the  long  flight 
of  steps.  The  ground  was  dazzling  white  under  the 
rays  of  a  bright  sun,  and  the  snow,  still  clinging  to  every 
branch  and  twig  in  the  park,  transformed  it  into  fairy 
land. 

"  There  comes  the  District  Attorney,"  said  Charles, 
who  was  looking  out  of  the  window. 

"Where?"  inquired  his  father,  barely  glancing  up 
from  his  documents. 

"  Coming  across  the  park,  carrying  a  leather  bag." 

Thomas  Cadwell  looked  out  with  a  show  of  great  in 
difference.  "  I  suppose  he  thinks  that  he  has  got  me 
in  that  little  bag,"  he  remarked  sarcastically.  "  Take 
this  contract  to  one  of  our  lawyers  this  morning,  and  if 
it  is  all  right  for  me  to  sign,  bring  it  to  me  at  the  noon 
recess." 

Charles  took  the  paper  mechanically,  still  looking  out 
of  the  carriage-window. 

"  There  is  a  large  crowd  on  the  court-house  steps," 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BROKEN  NOSE   235 

he  said.  "  It  extends  clear  down  to  the  street.  He  has 
difficulty  in  getting  through.  A  policeman  is  pushing 
the  crowd  back.  Some  of  them  want  to  shake  hands 
with  him.  Damn  him,  how  popular  he  is.  There  is  a 
lady  with  him ;  it  is  his  wife.  Look !  look ! "  he  cried 
with  sudden,  great  excitement,  grasping  his  father's  arm. 

The  crowd  which  had  gathered  in  front  of  the  court 
house, —  a  good-natured,  pleasant  crowd,  pushing  a  little 
and  allowing  itself  to  be  pushed  back  by  the  police,  sud 
denly  wavered,  a  quiver  of  excitement  seized  it,  a  shud 
der  and  a  murmur  ran  through  it. 

"  What  is  it,  Charlie?  "  asked  Cadwell,  dropping  all 
indifference.  Their  carriage  had  been  forced  to  stop, 
and  was  drawn  up  to  the  curb.  Charles  leaped  out,  his 
eyes  wide  with  excitement. 

The  crowd  was  growing  like  a  swarm  of  bees.  On  its 
outskirts  men  and  boys  ran  wildly  in  all  directions,  many 
trying  to  push  their  way  to  the  centre,  while  from  within 
they  were  being  forced  back  vigorously  by  police-officers, 
who  did  not  hesitate  to  use  their  clubs. 

The  District  Attorney  had  started  to  cross  the  park 
alone;  before  he  had  gone  a  hundred  yards  he  saw  his 
wife,  who  met  him  with  a  smile.  "  I  want  a  seat  in  the 
court-room,"  she  said.  "  There  is  such  a  crowd  of  men 
I  hated  to  go  through  them.  I'm  glad  I  got  here  be 
fore  you  went  in." 

"  Come  on,  then,  I'll  make  a  place  for  you,"  he  re 
plied. 

Just  before  he  reached  the  steps  the  District  Attorney 
stopped  to  shake  hands  with  a  friend ;  the  throng  pressed 
around  him  good-naturedly,  some  of  them  holding  out 
their  hands;  the  policemen  pushed  them  back  a  little, 
also  good-naturedly.  Constance  stood  looking  at  her 
husband  with  pride.  Jostled  a  little  by  some  men,  she 


236  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

was  forced  back  a  pace  or  two,  and  had  only  Richard's 
back  to  admire.  At  her  side  was  a  man  whose  flattened 
nose  was  set  upon  his  face  at  an  angle.  Constance  drew 
away  from  him ;  she  thought  him  hideous.  As  she  drew 
back  she  saw  the  sun  flash  on  something  which  he  was 
holding  close  to  his  side  in  his  right  hand.  With  light 
ning  intuition,  and  a  sharp  warning  cry  of  terror,  she 
sprang  forward  and  caught  at  the  hand  as  it  was  raised. 
At  the  sound  of  her  voice  Richard  turned  quickly,  and 
a  knife,  deflected  from  its  course,  struck  him  in  the 
shoulder.  He  caught  his  assailant,  and  would  have  held 
him  but  for  a  simultaneous  rush  of  other  men  which 
threw  him  to  the  ground.  During  this  confusion  the 
man  with  the  crooked  nose  escaped. 

A  policeman  tried  to  clear  away  the  crowd;  while  in 
the  centre  of  it,  Constance,  heedless  of  all  else,  had 
thrown  herself  down  on  the  snowy  walk  to  support  her 
husband's  head,  which  had  struck  the  curb  and  was  bleed 
ing. 

"  They  have  not  done  it,"  he  said,  as  he  looked  up  into 
her  face.  "  I'm  all  right." 

The  blood  from  the  wound  in  his  shoulder  saturated 
her  dress  and  stained  the  trampled  snow. 

This  is  what  Charles  saw  when  he  had  forced  his  way 
through  the  crowd.  He  looked  at  the  scene  for  a  mo 
ment,  then  turned  and  hurried  excitedly  back,  the  clang 
ing  of  the  police  patrol  and  the  ambulance  sounding  in 
his  ears  as  he  reached  the  carriage. 

"  There  will  be  no  trial  today,  and  perhaps  never," 
and  he  told  what  he  had  seen. 

"  It  looks  like  destiny,  Charlie,"  said  Thomas  Cadwell, 
controlling  his  excitement.  "  I  am  not  such  a  hypocrite 
as  to  say  I'm  sorry.  I  hope  he  dies;  it  will  simplify 
matters.  Who  did  it?" 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BROKEN  NOSE   237 

"  I  don't  know.  Some  one  who  had  a  grudge  against 
him,  I  suppose." 

"  Tell  the  coachman  to  drive  back  to  the  office.  We 
can  get  the  latest  news  there  by  telephone." 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

TRIED    BY    HIS    PEERS 

The  District  Attorney  was  forced  to  take  a  vacation 
lying  on  his  bed;  "Graft"  rejoiced  openly;  the  man 
with  the  broken  nose  slunk  away  like  a  shadow,  following 
his  twisted  organ  through  many  turnings  into  that  Al- 
satia  which  spread  out  its  protecting  arms  to  hide  him, 
while  in  his  dumb-brute's  heart  he  felt  that  he  had  done 
a  thing  to  merit  the  applause  which  greeted  him. 

Unfortunately,  however,  for  his  chances  of  continued 
liberty,  his  face  had  been  so  marked  for  identification 
that  he  was  speedily  apprehended  by  the  police,  and 
removed  from  the  stage  of  active  employment  for  many 
years  to  come. 

The  District  Attorney  was  not  mortally  hurt,  and  the 
joy  of  "  Graft  "  was  of  short  duration.  He  was  soon 
able  to  be  partly  dressed,  and  to  lie  on  a  couch  in  his  bed 
room.  The  trial  was  postponed  until  Spring,  and,  dis 
missing  all  thought  of  affairs,  he  gave  himself  up  to  his 
wife's  care.  There  was  the  enchantment  of  Elysium  in 
being  forced  to  lie  on  the  comfortable  couch ;  to  listen 
to  the  rustle  of  her  dress  as  she  went  about  the  room ;  to 
awake  from  a  half-sleep  and  see  her;  to  feel  her  hand 
upon  his  forehead.  And  she  was  happy,  for  never  be 
fore  had  they  been  so  continually  together. 

It  was  a  month  before  the  District  Attorney  could  ob 
tain  permission  to  return  to  his  office. 

"  We  have  had  our  honeymoon,  anyway,"  said  his 
238 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS 239 

pretty  nurse,  as  she  kissed  him  goodbye,  "  and  the  more 
I  see  of  you  the  better  I  like  you." 

He  returned  to  his  office  in  better  health  than  ever. 
The  Spring  found  him,  with  superabundant  energy, 
primed  for  the  trial,  and  at  last  Thomas  Cadwell  stood 
before  the  bar.  The  notable  prisoner  sat  surrounded  by 
an  imposing  array  of  counsel,  and  flanked  by  his  son 
Charles,  who,  as  aide-de-camp,  came  and  went  between 
the  court-room  and  his  father's  office. 

It  was  a  gathering  of  notables  which  shouldered  its 
way  into  the  court-room  to  assist  at  the  trial.  There 
were  notables  from  every  walk  of  life.  There  were 
Biily  Finn  and  a  large  contingent  from  the  Rushmore, 
who  filled  the  corridors  with  cigar-smoke,  and  expecto 
rated  liberally  in  the  halls  of  justice. 

There  were  merchants,  bankers,  brokers,  and  profes 
sional  men, —  all  keenly  alive  to  the  importance  of  the 
case.  The  Respectable  Citizen  was  there.  In  his  heart 
he  wished  to  see  justice  triumph,  but  he  was  afraid  that 
the  District  Attorney  had  gone  a  little  too  far  in  bring 
ing  so  prominent  a  man  as  Thomas  Cadwell  to  the  bar. 

Here  and  there  the  old  court-room  was  dottted  with 
color  where  ladies  sat; — ladies  from  the  fashionable 
world,  whose  carriages  rarely  came  below  the  shopping 
district, —  for  the  trial  of  Thomas  Cadwell  was  a  "  cause 
celebre  "  and  every  one  wanted  a  good  seat  at  the  play. 

Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer  came  down,  and  looked  at  the 
scene  through  her  lorgnette.  It  was  a  new  world  to  her, 
and  it  interested  her.  She  had  known  the  Cadwells 
slightly,  and  she  felt  shocked  that  so  prominent  a  man 
could  be  haled  to  court. 

Mrs.  Delafield  was  there  in  such  a  stunning  costume 
that  Mrs.  Quintin-Tailer  could  not  help  looking  at  her, 
although  she  failed  to  recognize  her. 


240  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Charles  Cadwell  looked  at  her,  but  she  met  his  gaze 
with  a  slight  curl  of  the  lip,  and  a  trace  of  amusement 
in  her  eyes.  He  would  have  spoken  to  her,  too,  for  in 
some  instances  he  was  of  an  easy,  forgiving  nature,  but 
she  froze  his  advances  with  such  a  grand  air  of  disdain 
that  he  hesitated,  stammered,  and  turned  away,  with  a 
dull  flush  on  his  heavy  cheek. 

Doc'  Connor  strolled  into  court,  nodded  condescend 
ingly  to  the  door-keeper,  and  elbowed  himself  to  a  good 
seat,  treading  heavily  on  Silas  Cotton's  foot  as  he  pushed 
by  that  little  old  gentleman. 

William  Craig  appeared,  shook  Cadwell  warmly  by  the 
hand,  before  he  hurried  down  town  to  watch  the  ticker 
for  the  first  sales  of  Traction  Common. 

Francis  Thayer  came  in  quietly,  shook  hands  with  the 
District  Attorney,  and  took  a  seat  near  by. 

When  every  available  space  was  taken,  and  the  court 
room  was  packed  from  wall  to  wall,  the  judge  gravely 
and  wisely  forbade  the  entrance  of  any  more  spectators. 
Maier  had  been  brought  down  from  the  state  peni 
tentiary.  He  was  somewhat  overshadowed  among  the 
other  notables,  and  looked  like  a  very  insignificant  "  City 
Father,"  with  his  ears  sticking  out  like  a  school-boy's, 
in  the  absence  of  his  curly  locks.  Minna  was  in  court. 
She  looked  unusually  blooming  in  spite  of  her  cares. 
She  got  an  opportunity  to  whisper  to  her  husband  en 
couragingly  :  "  The  children  are  all  well.  I  have  put 
pants  on  little  Karl ;  he  wears  them  to  the  school.  Busi 
ness  is  good.  Your  old  friends  are  all  so  kind.  Louis 
Mindenhof  brought  me  today,  and  Rudolph  Stein,  he 
helps  me  with  the  business." 

Karl  Maier  felt  a  pang  of  jealousy.  He  trusted 
Minna,  of  course,  but  it  was  hard  to  sit  with  the  detective 
and  the  other  witnesses  and  see  Minna,  "  the  prettiest 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  241 

woman  in  the  court-room,"  sitting  with  Mindenhof  by 
her  side,  and  to  have  six  months  more  of  jail,  counting 
"  good  behavior,"  to  look  forward  to. 

There  was  one  notable  person  not  present  at  the  trial. 
The  day  before,  Samuel  Haverland  had  gone  out  to  his 
country  place,  and  so  missed  the  opportunity  of  seeing 
his  son  get  up  and  open  the  celebrated  case  of  the  People 
vs.  Thomas  Cadwell. 

Public  sentiment  in  the  audience  was  divided.  Some 
expressed  their  sympathy  for  the  defendant,  others  ex 
pressed  a  desire  to  see  him  go  to  jail;  while  many  re 
mained  meutral,  ready  to  throw  up  their  caps  and  shout 
for  joy  at  the  acquittal  of  the  accused,  or  to  turn  down 
their  thumbs  relentlessly  at  the  convicted  felon. 

The  big  defendant  sat  behind  a  rampart  of  the  best 
legal  talent  money  could  procure,  and,  as  Karl  Maier 
thought,  looked  rather  condescendingly  at  the  District 
Attorney.  Thomas  Cadwell  was  outwardly  calm.  He 
stroked  his  heavy  brown  moustache  slowly  as  he  looked 
the  jury  over  with  an  air  neither  condescending  nor  in 
different.  He  looked  at  them  with  the  eye  of  a  man 
who  reads  character,  for  it  was  now  with  these  twelve 
men  that  his  fate  lay.  Ignorant  or  intelligent,  vicious 
or  honest,  or  weak ;  whatever  their  mental,  moral  or  phys 
ical  make-up,  it  lay  with  these  men,  summoned  from  their 
various  occupations,  to  decide  as  to  the  fate  of  one 
whom  they  had  never  seen,  nor  would  probably  ever  see 
again,  and  having  decided  —  to  go  back  to  their  various 
walks,  and  never  come  together  again  as  -a  body  cor 
porate. 

Mrs.  Cadwell  had  become  prostrated  with  distress  and 
grief  when  the  time  for  her  husband's  trial  arrived,  and 
was  at  home  in  bed,  in  charge  of  a  trained  nurse,  but 
Helen  took  her  place  by  the  side  of  the  accused.  Her 

16 


242  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

face  was  very  pale.  She  did  not  for  a  moment  doubt 
that  he  was  innocent,  but  the  terror  of  the  proceedings 
chilled  her  soul,  and  she  sat  looking  with  large  eyes 
about  the  court-room,  feeling  that  it  was  all  very  strange, 
and  unnecessary.  She  followed  every  detail,  even  the 
most  trivial,  with  intense  and  breathless  interest,  as  if 
upon  each  incident  depended  the  whole  result.  She  re 
garded  all  those  who  were  opposed  to  him  as  his  bitter, 
vindictive  enemies  —  and  hers.  She  regarded  all  those 
who  were  on  his  side  as  his  personal  and  close  friends  — 
and  hers.  Thus  she  would  have  sat  through  all  the 
weary  hours,  listening  to  the  arguments  and  wrangling 
of  counsel,  and  to  the  testimony  of  witnesses,  her  heart 
throbbing  with  anguish  at  the  smallest  point  lost,  or 
exulting  with  triumph  at  the  smallest  gain.  Her  father 
suggested,  with  a  tenderness  which  for  her  he  had  never 
lacked,  that  the  strain  was  too  great  for  her,  and  he  in 
sisted  that  she  remain  away.  At  first  she  refused  to  leave 
the  post  she  had  assumed,  but  in  this  matter  his  will  over 
ruled,  and  upon  the  second  day  she  was  not  there.  Cad- 
well  drew  a  sigh  of  relief.  Still,  she  would  have  gladly 
borne  the  torture  which  it  must  have  been  to  sit  there. 
And  if  that  torture  had  been  ten  times  greater,  still  she 
would  gladly  have  borne  it  for  him,  and  would  have  re 
mained  at  his  side  merely  that  her  presence,  the  touch  of 
her  hand,  a  word  from  her,  might  give  support  and  com 
fort  to  him  she  loved.  To  her,  he  could  never  be  proven 
guilty,  whatever  the  verdict  of  the  twelve  might  be,  for 
her  faith  in  him  was  not  born  of  logic,  it  was  born  of 
natural  and  enduring  affection.  It  could  not  be  shat 
tered,  could  not  be  undermined  by  argument  or  by  sworn 
testimony.  She  loved  him  and  believed  in  him,  because 
he  was  her  father. 

In  his  opening  the  District  Attorney  described  the 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS 243 

case  as  one  of  momentous  importance  to  the  Common 
wealth,  which  statement  caused  Mr.  Brower,  of  the  de 
fense,  to  elevate  his  Websterian  brow,  and  give  a  slight 
shrug  to  his  large  shoulders,  as  if  the  grave  charges 
were  too  trifling  to  warrant  troubling  the  jury. 

The  prosecution,  in  its  anxiety  to  allow  no  link  to  be 
dropped,  had  summoned  a  long  line  of  witnesses.  Among 
them  was  a  maid  who  had  been  in  Cadwell's  employ. 
She  testified  that  upon  a  certain  evening  she  had  admit 
ted  Keating  to  her  employer's  house.  This  was  impor 
tant;  the  jury  sat  up.  Under  cross-examination  she 
became  uncertain  as  to  the  time  of  year.  As  to  his  looks  ? 
Well,  he  looked  like  Keating;  she  was  positive  he  was 
the  same. 

"  Oh,  he  looked  like  Keating,  did  he?  "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Brower,  seizing  upon  the  point  with  avidity,  "  now  tell 
the  jury  —  Miss  —  what  did  you  say  your  name  was?  " 
Mr.  Brower  leaned  over  the  rail  inquiringly,  and  very 
politely. 

"  Marianne  Dufraise." 

"  Now  tell  the  jury,  Miss  Dufraise,  just  how  the  man 
looked  whom  you  say  you  admitted  to  Mr.  Cadwell's  res 
idence  at  a  time,  the  date  of  which  you  don't  quite  re 
member.  Look  at  the  jury,  Miss  Dufraise,  and  speak 
a  little  louder;  speak  so  that  the  last  juror  in  the  last 
row  can  hear  you." 

Miss  Dufraise,  a  bright-eyed  young  French-woman, 
faced  the  jury,  and  blushed  a  little  as  twelve  pairs  of 
eyes  were  leveled  at  her. 

"  'e  look'—  -  'e  look' —  I  notice  — "  she  hesitated. 

"  Well,  what  did  you  notice,  Miss  Dufraise  ?  Tell 
the  jury  just  what  you  did  notice  —  if  anything." 

"  'e  'ad  a  black  mustache,  and  a  agreeable  smile,"  fal 
tered  Miss  Dufraise. 


244  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Anything  else,  Miss  Duf raise  ? "  inquired  Mr. 
Brower  sharply. 

Miss  Dufraise's  faculties  growing  benumbed  under 
Mr.  Brewer's  searching  gaze,  she  could  remember  nothing 
at  the  moment. 

"  Now  look  at  the  man  who  has  been  identified  here 
today  as  Mr.  Keating.  Don't  look  over  there,  if  you 
know  him  you  ought  to  see  him  right  here.  Stand  up, 
will  you,  Keating?  Now  tell  us,  Miss  Duf  raise,  do  you 
see  the  black  mustache  ?  " 

"  'e  'as  shave'  hisself ,"  remarked  Miss  Dufraise 
naively. 

"Do  you  see  the  agreeable  smile?  Tell  the  jury, 
Miss  Dufraise,  whether  you  can  see  the  smile,  Remem 
ber  you  are  talking  to  the  jury,  don't  pay  any  attention 
to  me.  I  cut  no  figure  in  this  trial. 

Miss  Marianne  Dufraise  examined  Keating's  shaven 
face  critically  in  an  earnest  attempt  to  discover  the 
smile.  Then  she  turned  to  the  jury  with  a  little  shrug. 
"  No,  'e  look  ver'  onhappy  today." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Mr.  Brower,  thrusting  his  hands 
deep  into  his  pockets,  "  they  would  convict  my  client  on 
a  black  mustache  and  a  smile.  One  moment,  Miss  Du 
fraise,"  called  out  Mr.  Brower  quickly  as  the  witness 
seemed  on  the  eve  of  escaping  from  the  chair.  "  I  have 
one  more  little  question  to  put  to  you." 

Mademoiselle  Marianne  settled  down  with  a  sigh. 

Mr.  Brower  went  back  to  the  table,  and  taking  up  the 
type-written  testimony,  read  it  slowly  and  carefully. 
The  jury  watched  him  intently,  anticipating  a  sensa 
tion.  Mr.  Brower  walked  slowly  back  to  the  rail  which 
separated  him  from  the  witness,  adjusted  his  eye-glasses, 
leaned  forward,  and  looked  fixedly  at  the  young  woman. 

"  Did  I  understand  you  to  testify,  in  your  direct  ex- 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  245 

animation,  that  you  were  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Cad- 
well?  "  he  asked  suavely,  with  a  smile. 

"  No !  "  replied  the  witness  knitting  her  brows. 

"  Ah,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Brower  with  insinuating  soft 
ness,  "  you  were  discharged  ?  " 

"  No !  "  Miss  Duf raise  drew  herself  up  proudly. 
"  I  discharge  zem." 

"  In  other  words,"  continued  the  big  lawyer  sternly, 
"  there  was  a  disagreement  which  resulted  in  your  being 
forced  to  leave  the  place." 

"  I  tak'  my  lief,"  replied  Miss  Dufraise  emphatically, 
shaking  her  head  until  the  daisies  in  her  hat  nodded  as 
if  blown  by  the  wind.  "  Yes,  because  I  could  not  work 
for  that  Meeses  Cadwell  no  more.  Mees  Cadwell,  she  is 
ver'  nice.  Mistaire  Cadwell  he  is  ver5  good,"  —  indif 
ference  expressed  by  two  little  shrugs, — "but  Meeses 
Cadwell,  she  is  impossible!  "  Marianne  spread  out  her 
hands,  and  raised  her  eyes  dramatically.  "  And  so  — 
I  tak'  my  lief.  I  say  to  Mistaire  Cadwell :  '  /  can  go, 
yes;  but  you,  yoii,  Mistaire  Cadwell,  mus'  stay.  I  lief 
you  my  great  sympathie." 

Amid  a  general  explosion  of  laughter,  Miss  Dufraise 
left  the  chair  and  walked  back  to  her  seat  in  court  with 
head  erect  and  heightened  color. 

Witnesses  whose  testimony  seemed  of  slight  importance 
passed  in  procession.  There  were  politicians  of  vari 
ous  shades;  there  were  servants  from  Mr.  Cadwell's 
household,  there  were  clerks  from  his  office  —  Miss  Swift 
excited  more  than  passing  interest  in  a  large  picture-hat 
with  black  ostrich  plumes,  got  up  especially  for  the  occa 
sion.  At  last  Maier  came  to  the  stand.  His  testimony 
brought  the  question  of  bribery  fairly  up  to  Keating, 
but  only  cast  the  shadow  of  suspicion  beyond  him,  on  to 
Cadwell. 


246  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Therefore  it  was  on  Keating  that  the  whole  case 
hinged,  and  it  was  for  Keating  that  old  Brower  was 
sharpening  his  claws. 

There  was  a  stir  and  a  craning  of  necks  among  the 
spectators  when  the  star  witness  for  the  prosecution  was 
called  to  the  stand.  The  twelve  in  the  jury  box  sat 
as  one  man,  alert  and  wide-awake.  Even  the  venerable 
judge  looked  over  his  glasses  with  interest  as  the  court 
officer  administered  the  oath.  The  District  Attorney, 
who  thus  far  had  left  most  of  the  examination  to  his 
assistants,  arose  to  question  the  witness. 

It  would  have  been  so  easy  for  Keating,  having 
nothing  more  to  lose,  to  have  shielded  Cadwell,  who  on 
some  future  day  would  have  rewarded  him  generously. 

But  during  Keating's  own  trial  the  District  Attorney 
had  somehow  got  at  the  truth.  He  had  succeeded  in 
dragging  it  out  somewhat  as  a  robin  drags  a  reluctant 
worm  from  the  damp  earth.  Although  Keating  was  no 
weakling,  although  he  was  well-skilled  in  every  device 
of  deceit,  in  the  quiet-voiced  District  Attorney  he  had 
found  a  mental  master,  and  having  once  surrendered  to 
his  will  he  made  no  further  fight.  So  in  the  Cadwell 
trial  Keating  took  the  stand  prepared  to  tell  the  truth. 

Keating  having  started  in  to  tell  the  truth  let  out  a 
flood  of  it. 

"  We  had,"  said  Mr.  Keating,  rubbing  his  white,  well- 
kept  hand  over  his  blue-black  upper  lip,  "  a  complete 
list  of  the  Aldermen.  Mr.  Cadwell  invented  the  system 
of  bookkeeping  which  I  kept  for  him.  We  knew  which 
men  it  would  be  safe  to  bribe,  and  which  men  should  be 
avoided.  We  knew  which  men  were  owned  by  us,  body 
and  soul,  and  which  were  doubtful  — 

"  I  object!  "  said  Mr.  Brower. 

"  To  what?  "  inquired  the  District  Attorney. 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS 247 

"  To  the  statement  of  the  witness  that  he  had  estab 
lished  any  proprietory  rights  over  the  souls  of  Alder 
men." 

The  objection  was  sustained. 

"  We  knew  who  were  our  friends,  who  were  our  ene 
mies,  and  who  were  doubtful.  If  a  man  could  be  won 
by  small  loans,  if  we  could  get  control  of  a  man  by  mak 
ing  him  large  advances  —  they  were  made  — ' 

"  I  object,"  declared  Mr.  Brower  emphatically. 

A  lengthy  argument  between  the  opposing  counsel 
followed,  during  which  Keating  twiddled  his  fingers,  and 
looked  indifferently  at  the  ceiling.  The  discussion  was 
followed  by  some  of  the  jurors,  while  others  dropped  into 
a  lethargic  condition  closely  bordering  on  sleep. 

"  Continue,  Mr.  Keating,  if  you  please,"  said  the  Dis 
trict  Attorney  finally,  with  a  bow  to  the  judge,  and 
Keating,  without  a  change  of  countenance,  went  on  — 
"  Or  if  a  man  could  be  reached  by  drink,  drink  was  used 
to  reach  him." 

The  jury  all  watched  the  witness  with  expressions  of 
countenance  varying  from  scorn  to  admiration. 

Keating's  testimony  revealed  the  different  values 
which  men  place  upon  themselves.  One  man  would 
cheerfully  sell  himself  for  a  railroad-pass,  while  another 
would  only  sell  to  raise  an  oppressive  mortgage,  or  pay 
off  a  long  harassing  debt.  Keating  explained  that  in 
his  dealings  with  his  patron  the  money  transactions  were 
in  actual  cash,  and  lie  could  furnish  no  records,  beyond 
his  own  book,  which  was  offered  in  evidence. 

Mr.  Brower  objected  strenuously,  and  it  was  ruled 
that  the  little  book  could  be  used  only  to  refresh  the 
memory  of  the  witness. 

"  He  always  handed  me  out  the  money  in  new  bank 
notes,"  Keating  went  on  in  a  reminiscent  tone.  "  He 


248  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

was  always  very  particular  that  all  the  money  which  he 
touched  should  be  clean.  He  told  me  that  the  old  bills, 
which  had  been  through  so  many  hands,  were  apt  to  be 
infected  with  bacteria." 

"  I  object,"  murmured  Mr.  Brower. 

"  I  came  to  Mr.  Cadwell  one  night  when  the  traction 
bill  looked  in  danger — " 

"  Was  that  when  the  French  maid  came  to  the  door?  " 
asked  the  District  Attorney. 

"  No,  I  think  that  it  was  a  member  of  the  family." 

"  Proceed,"  said  the  District  Attorney  with  a  quick 
gesture. 

"  It  was  just  after  dinner,  Mr.  Cadwell  came  into  the 
library  in  his  dress-suit.  '  They're  holding  us  up  at  the 
last  minute,'  I  said." 

"  '  Now  I  will  get  mad,'  he  cried,  banging  his  fist  down 
on  the  library  table.  '  I  trusted  you,  Keating,  and  I'll 
pay  you  your  ten  thousand  on  the  outside  as  agreed,  but 
not  a  cent  more.'  '  Then  down  she  drops,'  said  I,  '  for 
there  are  two  or  three  men  who  have  taken  advantage  of 
the  close  vote  to  enter  into  an  agreement  among  them 
selves  not  to  take  less  than  four  thousand  apiece.'  He 
swore  that  they  were  robbers,  and  that  they  ought  to  do 
it  for  twenty-five  hundred,  which  was  what  others  had 
got.  I  asked  him :  '  How  about  the  law  of  supply  and 
demand  ?  Pay  up  or  let  it  go,'  I  said,  for  I  was  getting 
tired. 

"  '  Will  it  go  through  surely  at  that  price  ?  '  he  asked. 

"  '  It's  the  most  wobbly  Board  I've  ever  had  anything 
to  do  with,  and  it  is  all  on  account  of  that  Frank  Thayer. 
He  has  got  a  strong  following,  but  we  can  put  it 
through  tonight  sure  if  you  let  me  buy  two  men  at  their 
own  price,  and  then  to  make  doubly  sure,  to  get  one 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  249 

other,  a  little  German.  He  is  one  of  Frank  Thayer's 
own  men,  but  I  think  I  can  get  him  fairly  cheap.5 

"  '  Will  he  stay  bought  ?  '  asked  Mr.  Cadwell. 

"  '  He  will  if  I  once  get  him,  and  he  will  come  in 
handy  in  the  future.'  So  it  ended  in  Mr.  Cadwell's 
opening  his  safe  and  giving  me  the  money.  He  only 
had  seven  thousand  in  cash,  so  he  gave  me  a  check  for 
four,  and  I  came  away.  I  bought  Maier  an  hour  later, 
I  paid  Hall,  the  man  who  was  drowned  last  month  in  the 
Gulf,  his  four,  and  Sullivan  I  settled  with  next  day,  and 
we  put  the  bill  through  that  night." 

It  was  when  Joseph  Keating  was  turned  over  to  Mr. 
B  rower  for  cross-examination  that  the  real  fun  began 
for  those  spectators  who  had  come  as  to  a  play. 

In  this  line  of  work  Mr.  Brower  had  few  equals  in  his 
profession.  He  could  make  a  witness  forget  everything 
he  thought  he  knew,  almost  to  his  own  name,  and  then 
ask  insinuatingly  "  whether  he  had  a  good  memory.'* 
He  could  intimidate,  bully  and  brow-beat  a  witness,  turn 
him  inside-out,  and  send  him  from  the  chair  as  crest 
fallen  and  discredited  as  a  detected  pickpocket,  but  at 
the  last  moment  dismissing  him  with  such  Chesterfieldian 
politeness  as  to  salve  the  victim's  wounds  upon  the  spot. 
When  Brower  raged  he  was  terrible,  but  when  he  was 
polite  he  was  most  to  be  feared.  He  was  terribly  polite 
to  Keating,  while  he  stripped  from  him,  and  held  up  be 
fore  the  jury,  every  detail  of  his  past.  He  seemed  a 
veritable  walking  biography  of  Joseph  Keating,  written 
only  on  the  dark  side  of  the  page,  and  he  brought  this 
record  to  the  light  of  day,  from  the  time  when  Keating 
was  a  young  employee  in  one  of  the  City  Departments, 
to  the  hour  when  he  forfeited  his  bail  and  ran  away. 

He  did  all  this  with  that  fine  dexterity  with  which  a 


250  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

surgeon  wields  his  knife,  without  once  losing  his  own 
temper,  or  ruffling  a  hair. 

Putting  his  eye-glasses  firmly  on  his  nose,  he  took 
up  the  freshly  typewritten  pages  of  Keating's  testimony 
and  cleared  his  throat.  The  very  rustling  of  the  leaves, 
as  he  turned  them  with  his  quick  hand,  seemed  to  foretell 
the  coming  storm. 

First  he  started  to  riddle  it  with  his  sharp  shot,  firing 
question  after  question  with  that  keen  precision  born  of 
long  practice  in  the  art;  but  as  to  certain  facts  in  con 
nection  with  Thomas  Cadwell,  Keating  did  not  flinch. 

Then  Brower  brought  out  his  heavy  guns  and  trained 
them,  and  struck  at  every  spot  which  he  thought  might 
be  vulnerable  and  where  he  might  make  a  breach,  but  as 
to  certain  dates  and  figures  Keating's  testimony  re 
mained  unshaken.  With  his  little,  red,  Russian-leather 
memorandum-book  held  in  his  right  hand,  to  refresh  his 
memory,  Keating  turned  every  shot  aside. 

"  Can't  you  get  along  without  that  book,  sir?  "  cried 
Brower  with  intense  exasperation. 

"  No,  sir !  "  said  Keating  politely.  "  I  need  it  to 
refresh  my  memory."  And  Brower,  falling  back  re 
pulsed  upon  this  line,  suddenly  renewed  his  questioning 
as  to  Keating's  past.  This  he  did  with  such  telling 
effect  as  to  recover  some  of  his  lost  prestige,  and  when 
Keating  finally  left  the  stand,  he  was  pale  to  the  lips 
and  shaking,  while  even  the  audience  drew  a  sigh  of 
relief. 

The  counsel  for  the  defense  then  called  their  star 
witness,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Cadwell  took  the  stand.  He 
sat  down  in  the  chair  as  calmly  as  if  he  were  the  least 
interested  in  court,  and  had  the  least  at  stake.  The  fact 
that  he  had  so  much  at  stake  caused  him  to  overplay  the 
part  a  trifle.  Mr.  Brower  asked  him  but  a  few  ques- 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  251 

tions,  and  all  of  his  replies  were  in  the  nature  of  denial. 
"  That  will  do,  Mr.  Cadwell,"  said  Mr.  Brower  with  a 
bow  and  a  smile,  as  if  to  say  to  the  jury:  "You  see, 
gentlemen,  that  is  all  there  is  to  the  case." 

The  District  Attorney  got  up.  Thomas  Cadwell  set 
tled  himself  a  little  more  firmly  in  his  chair,  put  his 
hand  to  his  drooping  brown  moustache,  swallowed  once 
or  twice,  and  waited.  The  District  Attorney  began  in 
his  quiet  way,  and  he  asked  some  very  pointed  and  awk 
ward  questions.  Mr.  Thomas  Cadwell  denied. 

Mr.  Brower  looked  on  with  some  anxiety,  alert  as  a 
hunting  dog  ready  to  spring.  Mr.  Brower  feared  this 
cross-examination.  The  District  Attorney  had  almost 
an  uncanny  faculty  of  getting  at  the  truth  and  Brower 
had  hesitated  to  put  the  neck  of  his  client,  tough  as  it 
might  be,  within  the  swing  of  the  public  prosecutor's 
axe. 

Thomas  Cadwell,  strong,  always  cool,  very  wary,  made 
an  excellent  witness  for  the  defense.  He  denied.  Oh, 
if  Karl  Maier  could  but  have  denied  like  that;  he  might 
now  have  been  enjoying  the  fruits  of  that  same  Mr.  Cad- 
well's  three  thousand  dollars,  and  many  other  dollars,  in 
a  fine,  large  store,  with  Minna's  hands  growing  whiter 
every  day.  When  Thomas  Cadwell  did  not  deny  he  for 
got.  Oh,  if  Karl  Maier  could  have  forgotten  like  that! 
Cadwell  showed  such  a  lapse  of  memory  about  his  own 
affairs  that  one  innocent  juryman  wondered  how  he  re 
membered  where  his  office  was,  and  how  he  found  his 
way  home  at  night. 

The  District  Attorney  did  get  one  admission  from 
the  witness ;  he  had  given  Mr.  Keating  a  check  for  four 
thousand  dollars  —  for  legal  services, —  for  legal  ser 
vices,  nothing  more.  He  made  this  admission  openly 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


and  frankly;  surely  he  had  nothing  to  conceal.  After 
that  he  continued  to  deny. 

Mr.  Brower  did  not  appear  to  consider  this  admission 
of  any  importance.  The  District  Attorney  did. 

After  a  long,  hard  struggle  during  which  Thomas 
Cadwell  never  once  lost  his  head  nor  his  temper,  for  he 
was  fighting  as  if  for  his  life,  the  District  Attorney 
said  "  that  is  all,  Mr.  Cadwell,"  and  the  defendant,  re 
turning  to  his  seat,  asked  for  a  glass  of  water,  and  drew 
a  long  breath. 

Mr.  Brower,  with  the  dramatic  manner  which  in  the 
court-room  came  to  him  so  readily,  and  which  in  the 
outer  world  he  laid  aside,  —  arose  and  said  that  they 
would  not  take  up  the  time  of  the  court,  and  the  very 
valuable  time  of  the  jury,  by  calling  other  witnesses. 
The  defense  was  quite  willing,  even  eager,  to  have  the 
case  go  to  the  jury  on  the  testimony,  or  rather  upon  the 
lack  of  testimony,  which  the  able  young  District  Attor 
ney  had  presented. 

Mr.  Brower  sat  down,  wiped  his  large  forehead,  and 
turned  to  speak  to  an  associate  with  careless  ease,  leaving 
the  spectators,  and  the  jury  as  well,  very  much  im 
pressed. 

The  summing  up  was  set  for  the  afternoon  session 
and  the  court  adjourned  for  recess. 

During  the  interval,  gentlemen  of  a  sporting  turn  of 
mind  offered  to  bet  on  the  acquittal  of  the  prisoner. 
With  no  takers  the  odds  grew  to  five  to  one,  whereupon 
Billy  Finn  slipped  quietly  around,  putting  up  his  money 
wherever  he  could  find  an  offer.  He  whispered  in  Con 
nor's  ear  what  he  was  doing.  The  boss  laughed  at  him  : 
"  What  do  you  want  to  throw  your  money  away  for  ; 
these  big  wigs  have  got  the  game  '  cinched,'  don't  you 
see  they  are  packing  up  their  bats  already  ?  " 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  253 

"  It  was  the  long  odds  which  caught  me,"  explained 
Finn,  "  and  Doc',  we  ain't  heard  the  District  Attorney's 
*  spiel '  yet.  He  is  all  right.  I  remember  him  ever 
since  the  night  at  Harmony  Hall." 

"  You  did  not  hear  him  speak  that  night,"  said  Con 
nor. 

"  Yes,  I  did,  he  spoke  to  me ;  he  said :  '  Keep  off  dis 
platform ! '  purlite  as  that.  *  Why  will  I?  '  says  I,  just 
like  that.  Then  he  handed  me  one  biff  in  the  eye  which 
told  me  just  why.  He's  a  winner,  Doc'.  I  tell  yer  he 
was  Terry  Duiibar's  star  kid.  You  wait  'till  he  gets 
warmed  up." 

"  This  ain't  a  sparring  match,"  answered  Connor  with 
an  impatient  shrug. 

"  Ain't  it  ?  There's  where  you're  wrong.  It's  a  spar 
ring  match  from  start  to  finish,  with  the  old  gray  whis 
kers  with  the  warm  face  as  referee.  Didn't  you  see  him 
make  'em  break  away  when  they  clinched  foul?  It's  the 
man  in  the  best  form  and  with  the  best  wind  that  wins 
out  in  the  final  bout.  All  dis  testimony  guff  is  just  the 
prelim'nary  sparrin'.  The  District  Attorney  has  been 
saving  himself.  He's  it!  I  tell  yer,  Doc'.  He's  a 
winner!  You  know  I'm  always  great  on  pickin'  'em. 
Five  to  one  on  him  is  like  finding  money.  It's  a  sin  to 
let  it  go  by." 

"  Put  a  hundred  on  him  for  me,"  replied  Doc'  Connor, 
"  just  for  a  flyer.  I  hate  to  watch  a  game  and  not  have 
anything  up." 

"  All  right,"  said  Finn,  highly  pleased,  "  there  was  a 
sport  out  in  front  of  the  court-house,  with  a  red  tie,  who 
was  talkin'  big  money.  I'll  see  if  he  has  got  it  with 
him.  Gimme  it  quick  for  it's  nearly  two  o'clock,  and 
the  crowd  is  making  back  for  the  court-room." 

So  thoroughly  had  the  sharp  Mr.  Brower  in  the  cross- 


254  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

examination  cut  Keating's  reputation  into  shreds,  and 
discredited  his  testimony,  that  when  the  big  lawyer  for 
the  defense  got  upon  his  feet  to  sum  up,  there  was  not  a 
man  in  the  court-room,  outside  of  Connor  and  Finn  who 
had  got  their  money  on  Richard  Haverland,  who  had  not 
already  in  his  inner  consciousness  set  the  defendant  free. 

There  was  a  feeling  in  the  minds  of  many  that  Thomas 
Cadvvell,  in  spite  of  his  pompous  air  of  innocence,  had 
been  guilty  of  considerable  irregularity  in  regard  to 
financial  matters.  Had  Keating  been  corroborated  by 
any  man  whose  word  was  above  reproach,  Cadwell  would 
have  been  convicted,  but  on  Keating's  word,  the  jury,  if 
polled  at  that  moment,  would  not  have  hung  a  yellow  dog 
for  stealing  a  bone. 

Mr.  Brower  cleared  his  throat,  ran  his  fingers  through 
his  iron-gray  hair,  and  began  by  complimenting  the  jury 
upon  their  intelligence.  In  the  long  course  of  a  suc 
cessful  career  Mr.  Brower  had  never  failed  to  compli 
ment  the  jury  upon  its  intelligence.  If  Mr.  Brower's 
remarks  preliminary  to  summing  up  were  accepted  at 
full  weight,  the  jury  panels  would  furnish  sufficient 
wisdom  to  stock  both  bench  and  bar,  and  leave  a  hand 
some  surplus. 

Mr.  Brower,  having  established  pleasant  relations  be 
tween  himself  and  the  twelve  men  before  him,  went  over 
the  testimony,  and  pointed  out  to  the  very  intelligent 
jury  that  it  must  have  a  meaning  exactly  opposite  to 
the  interpretation  placed  upon  it  by  the  exceedingly 
clever  prosecuting  official,  whose  business  it  was  to  make 
a  case  even  out  of  the  flimsiest  of  material.  From  his 
point  of  view  Mr.  Brower  showed  the  clear-sighted  jury 
how  very  flimsy  and  unconvincing  the  evidence  was.  In 
the  cross-examination  of  Keating  he  had  made  the  star- 
witness  admit  that  his  character  had  been  far  from  irre- 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS  255 

proachable.  He  had  done  this  for  the  most  part  pur- 
ringly,  only  occasionally  showing  the  claws  underneath, 
but  now  he  tossed  his  lion's  head  and  roared,  and  tore 
Keating  to  pieces.  He  walked  up  and  down  before  the 
rail,  he  shook  his  terrible  index  finger  at  the  empty  chair 
where  Keating  had  sat  in  court  —  now  that  his  part  had 
been  played  he  had  been  taken  back  to  jail  to  serve  out 
his  two  years  —  and  the  audience,  following  that  index 
finger,  seemed  to  see  the  unhappy  man's  figure  cowering 
and  withering  there  under  the  excoriation.  Mr.  Brower 
pleaded  with  all  his  masterly  eloquence ;  he  worked  upon 
the  feelings  of  the  jury,  he  wrought  upon  their  emo 
tions;  he  played  upon  their  sympathies  with  consum 
mate  skill.  He  reminded  the  jury  of  their  duty  to  the 
Commonwealth,  and  told  them  of  the  great  responsibility 
which  it  had  placed  upon  them.  He  threatened  them 
with  the  awful  torture  of  their  consciences,  and  even  the 
vengeance  of  their  God,  if  they  were  misled  or  betrayed 
into  giving  a  wrong  verdict ;  and  there  could  be  but  one 
right  and  just  verdict,  and  that  was  for  his  client. 

He  sat  down  flushed  and  perspiring,  feeling  that  the 
day  was  won. 

Then  the  District  Attorney  rose.  One  or  two  of  the 
jurors  yawned,  and  the  defendant's  lawyers,  as  Doc' 
Connor  had  remarked,  were  "  packing  up  their  bats." 

The  District  Attorney  took  up  the  testimony  bit  by 
bit  and  asked  the  jury  to  weigh  it  well.  He  asked  them 
where  Mr.  Brower  had  shaken  Heating's  statements,  or 
caused  him  to  contradict  himself.  He  asked  them  to 
disregard  as  much  as  possible  the  unfortunate  circum 
stances  of  Keating's  life ; —  even  the  strongest  men  were 
subject  to  temptation.  Here  he  allowed  his  eyes  to  rest 
for  an  instant  on  the  defendant.  Keating  was  not  on 
trial  for  what  he  had  done.  He  had  been  tried  for  that, 


256  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

and  was  paying  the  penalty.  Had  he  any  motive  now 
but  to  tell  the  truth?  No  spirit  of  revenge  had  been 
shown  by  the  witness,  although  the  eminent  counsel  had 
tried  his  best  to  uncover  such  a  feeling,  but  Keating 
always  referred  respectfully  to  his  old  employer  and 
associate  in  business.  Therefore  it  was  only  fair  to  give 
him  the  benefit  of  all  doubt,  and  to  believe  that  he  was 
ruled  by  a  desire  to  make  amends. 

The  District  Attorney  stood  with  one  hand  on  the 
rail,  the  other  raised  from  time  to  time  in  an  easy  ges 
ture,  sometimes  leaning  forward  a  little  in  his  earnest 
ness  to  enforce  a  point.  The  jurymen  who  had  yawned 
were  now  attentive,  and  Mr.  Brower,  sitting  at  the  table 
behind  him,  was  making  frequent  notes  with  his  trained 
and  rapid  hand. 

The  District  Attorney  did  not  burst  into  oratorical 
flight;  he  spoke  so  quietly  that  those  in  the  spectators' 
seats  held  their  breath  to  hear  him.  He  seemed  to  for 
get  the  judge  and  the  opposing  counsel;  for  him  there 
existed  none  but  the  jury,  and  for  their  ears  alone  he 
spoke.  So  convinced  was  he  of  the  defendant's  guilt 
that  he  pressed  it  resistlessly  into  the  minds  of  the  twelve 
men  before  him.  His  whole  plea  was  a  prayer  for  faith 
towards  the  Commonwealth. 

"  The  distinguished  counsel  for  the  defence,  he  said 
with  pregnant  emphasis,  "  has  done  well  to  remind  you 
of  your  duty  to  the  Commonwealth.  Such  a  duty,  gen 
tlemen,  does  not  begin  nor  end  with  the  oath  which  you 
have  taken  in  this  court.  The  birthright  in  a  Democ 
racy  carries  with  it  an  obligation  of  patriotism.  It  is  a 
sacred  trust  which  rests  upon  us  all,  and  those  of  us  who 
are  faithless  to  that  trust  are  unworthy  of  our  heritage. 
Not  only  are  they  false  to  their  trust  who  misuse  their 
talents  to  despoil  the  State  and  enrich  themselves ;  but 
they  are  also  faithless,  who,  recognizing  an  evil,  hesitate 


TRIED  BY  HIS  PEERS 257 

through  fear  or  weakness  to  condemn  it  as  it  deserves. 
The  State  demands  that  you  do  your  duty  in  this  mat 
ter  fearlessly,  unswayed  by  the  eloquence  of  counsel,  un 
dismayed  by  the  high  position  of  his  client. 

"  One  of  the  noblest  of  human  feelings  is  the  love  of 
country.  One  of  the  basest  is  the  love  of  gold.  With 
one  hand,  Man  has  carved  Amor  Patrice  on  monuments 
of  stone,  while  with  the  other  he  has  struck  down  Lib 
erty  and  throttled  Justice  in  his  drunken  lust  for  money. 
For  Thomas  Cadwell,  blinded  by  personal  desire,  witK 
a  soul  dead  to  the  ideals  upon  which  this  Republic  was 
founded,  there  was  no  place  so  high  but  that  he  musf 
reach  out  for  it  with  a  corrupt  hand.  With  eyes  fixed 
upon  a  greater  prize,  he  carelessly  neglected  to  cover 
up  all  the  tracks  which  he  had  made  in  securing  a  lesser 
one  — "  The  District  Attorney  paused  for  a  moment. 
"  Gentlemen,  for  what  purpose  did  the  check  for  four 
thousand  dollars  pass  into  the  hands  of  Joseph  Keat 
ing?  I  want  you  to  keep  that  question  constantly  be 
fore  you.  I  appeal  to  your  intelligence,  whether  in  this 
case  the  word  '  retainer  '  was  not  the  euphuistic  term  for 
'bribe?' 

"  At  last  the  people  of  this  Commonwealth  have  sum 
moned  this  man  to  the  bar.  Thomas  Cadwell,  who 
boasts  of  an  American  ancestry  of  two  hundred  years 
or  more,  whose  name  is  in  every  gilt-edged  volume  of  the 
elite,  is  charged  with  having  bribed  one  Karl  Maier  — 
an  alien  by  birth,  and  a  man  of  humble  antecedents  and 
limited  understanding.  Thomas  Cadwell  really  stands 
before  this  bar  impeached  for  treason, —  an  enemy  of 
the  Republic  he  has  debauched." 

There  was  a  ring  in  his  voice  which  awoke  the  echoes 
of  the  old  room,  and  thrilled  those  who  heard,  as  he 
closed  fervently: 

17 


258  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  The  honor  of  the  Commonwealth,  gentlemen  of  the 
jury,  lies  in  your  hands;  and  if  this  man,  who  has  done 
this  thing,  shall  take  his  seat  in  the  Senate  of  this  coun 
try  and  presume  to  make  its  laws,  the  shame  is  yours." 

He  sat  down.  There  was  a  hush  in  the  court-room. 
Then  the  judge  cleared  his  throat,  took  a  drink  of 
water  and  adjusted  his  spectacles,  while  the  jury  turned 
in  their  seats  and  faced  him  with  respectful  attention. 
He  was  an  elderly  man,  with  a  strong,  quiet  face,  and 
he  delivered  his  charge  in  measured  tones  and  evenly 
balanced  sentences. 

The  jury  were  to  dismiss  sympathy,  sentiment,  preju 
dices  and  other  human  emotions,  and,  relying  entirely 
upon  their  intelligence,  bring  in  a  verdict  based  only  on 
the  evidence  which  had  been  submitted.  In  substance 
he  told  them  that  if  they  held  that  Thomas  Cadwell  was 
guilty  they  were  to  convict  him ;  if  they  held  that  he  was 
innocent  they  were  to  acquit  him ;  and  then  solemnly 
recommending  them  to  their  consciences  and  to  God,  he 
turned  them  over  to  the  court  officer  to  be  locked  up 
until  they  rendered  a  verdict. 

The  jury,  thereupon  called  to  the  centre  of  the  stage, 
with  all  eyes  upon  them,  filed  slowly  out  of  the  room  — 
trying  to  appear  as  if  they  had   suppressed  all   sym 
pathy,  sentiment,  prejudice  and  emotion,  and  succeed 
ing  in  looking  very  self-conscious. 

The  strong  personality  of  the  District  Attorney  had 
impressed  itself  upon  them ;  it  could  not  have  been  other 
wise.  Above  all  the  testimony  which  they  had  heard, 
above  all  Mr.  Brower's  florid  eloquence,  above  the  judge's 
charge,  there  rung  in  their  ears  his  closing  words : 

"  If  this  man,  who  has  done  this  thing,  shall  take  his 
seat  in  the  Senate  of  this  country  and  presume  to  make 
its  laws,  the  shame  is  yours" 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

IN    THE    JURY    BOOM 

The  twelve  peers  of  Thomas  Cadwell,  in  the  custody 
of  the  court-officers,  were  taken  up  stairs  to  a  small, 
badly  ventilated  cell.  In  this  room  were  twelve  hard- 
seated  chairs,  destined  to  grow  harder  as  the  hours  grew 
longer. 

In  the  centre  was  a  plain,  wooden  table ;  otherwise  the 
place  was  bare  of  furniture,  with  barren,  white  walls. 
Through  the  one  window  a  view  of  the  court-house 
square  could  be  obtained  by  any  one  with  sufficient  enter 
prise  to  clean  the  dirt  from  the  window-panes. 

The  twelve  good  men  and  true  were  not  imprisoned 
for  any  crime  of  their  own  commission.  The  intention 
was  merely  to  seclude  them  where  they  could  deliberate 
undisturbed,  and  where  their  mental  powers  would  not  be 
dissipated  by  easeful  luxury. 

No  sooner  was  the  key  turned  in  the  lock  and  the 
twelve  left  to  themselves  and  to  their  twelve  consciences, 
than  there  was  a  spontaneous  reaching  for  the  consoler. 
With  each  juror  this  took  the  shape  of  a  cigar,  varying 
from  that  of  his  neighbor  in  size,  quality,  strength  and 
flavor, —  except  in  the  case  of  a  husky-voiced  Irishman, 
who  took  out  a  black,  clay  pipe,  and  of  one  unfortunate 
man  whom  tobacco  affected  most  unpleasantly.  The 
jurors  sat  down  in  as  easy  attitudes  as  the  chairs  per 
mitted,  there  was  a  crackling  volley  of  matches,  clouds 
of  smoke,  and  the  case  of  the  Commonwealth  vs.  Thomas 
Cadwell  was  open  for  discussion. 

259 


260  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

The  foreman,  a  travelling  man  for  a  dry-goods  house, 
who  sported  a  loud  necktie  and  a  rakish  air,  took  the 
head  of  the  table. 

"  The  first  thing  in  order,  gentlemen,  I  suppose,  is  to 
take  a  vote  to  see  how  we  stand." 

Juror  number  nine,  who  in  the  court-room  catechism 
had  given  his  occupation  as  that  of  a  broker,  seconded 
the  proposal. 

"Will  you  prepare  the  slips?"  asked  the  foreman. 
And  the  broker,  in  a  business-like  way,  tore  a  sheet  of 
paper  into  twelve  little  blanks,  which  he  distributed 
among  his  fellow  jurors. 

While  these  preliminaries  were  in  progress  the  con 
versation  in  the  room  was  of  a  general  and  rather  social 
nature. 

After  the  ballots  had  been  deposited  in  a  hat  they 
were  opened  and  called  off  by  the  foreman,  the  result 
reading : 

"  Guilty :  nine." 

"Not  guilty:  three." 

"  You  have  heard  the  result,  gentlemen,"  said  the 
travelling-man  glibly,  "  nine  to  three  on  the  People, — 
I  mean  nine  for  conviction  and  three  for  acquittal.  I 
now  suggest  that  the  three  who  backed  • —  I  mean  who 
were  for  acquittal,  get  up  in  turn,  and  state  their  rea 
sons." 

A  little  man  with  red,  bushy  whiskers,  the  Irishman 
with  the  pipe,  and  a  well-dressed  young  man  with  a 
white  carnation  in  his  button-hole,  all  stood  up  promptly. 

"  I  don't  believe  that  fellow  Keating,"  said  the  man 
with  the  red  whiskers,  quickly,  and  then  sat  down. 

"  Any  other  reason  ? "  asked  the  foreman  lightly, 
after  a  short  pause. 


IN  THE  JURY  ROOM 261 

"Isn't  that  enough?"  replied  the  red-bearded  man, 
"  I  don't  believe  him.  I  throw  his  testimony  out." 

"  How  about  you  ?  "  asked  the  foreman  nodding  fa 
miliarly  toward  the  Irishman. 

The  short  clay  pipe  came  from  the  mouth,  followed 
by  a  cloud  of  smoke  which  made  the  juryman  who  could 
not  stand  tobacco  cough  violently. 

"  That  man  Keatin',"  began  the  Irishman  slowly, 
marking  time  in  the  air  with  the  stem  of  his  pipe,  "  that 
man  Keatin'  tistified  that  he  bought  whiskey  at  wan 
dollar  and  twinty-foive  cents  a  gallon  — ' 

"  What  has  that  to  do  with  the  case?  "  promptly  in 
terrupted  the  sixth  juror,  a  merchant  in  woolen  goods. 

"  Oi  sed  gallon,  not  case,"  replied  the  Irishman. 

"  Well,  what  of  it?     It  has  no  bearing  here." 

"  Ye  heard  his  tistimony,  didn't  ye  ?  "  answered  the 
Irishman. 

"  I  did,  there  was  nothing  about  whiskey  in  it.  This 
isn't  an  excise  case." 

"  There  wuz  so-  something  about  whiskey.  Doan't 
Oi  know  — " 

"  Gentlemen !     Order !  "  cried  the  foreman. 

"  But  Oi  know  — " 

"  There  wasn't  — " 

"  There  was ;  there  was  something  about  whiskey," 
exclaimed  a  grocer,  who  had  not  spoken  before.  "  It 
was  when  they  were  questioning  him  about  his  wine- 
cellar  at  his  country-place,  and  the  lawyer  for  the  de 
fense,  the  big  one  with  the  gray  beard,  asked  him  what 
he  paid  for  whiskey." 

"  Gentlemen,  gentlemen,"  cried  the  foreman,  "  will 
you  please  let  Mr.  Flanigan,  who  has  the  floor,  speak." 

"  Bedad,  some  of  yez  want  the  flure  and  the  whole 


262  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

earth.  I'll  spake  whin  thim  two  gets  it  sittled  who 
asked  it." 

"  Go  on,  Mr.  Flanigan." 

"  '  How  much  did  ye  pay  for  that  whiskey  ?  '  says  the 
loier  for  the  definse.  '  I  paid  wan-dollar-an'  twinty- 
foive  cints,'  sezs  Mr.  Keatin,'  that's  what  he  sezs.  Now 
oi  doan't  give  my  vote  to  ony  man  who  buys  whiskey 
at  that  price  an'  gives  it  to  his  frins,  or  begorra,  to  his 
inimies,  to  dhrink." 

"  But  Mr.  Flanigan,"  interposed  a  juror  with  a  very 
agreeable  manner,  "  what  has  the  price  which  Keating 
paid  for  his  whiskey  got  to  do  with  the  guilt  of  the  de 
fendant?" 

"  What  did  they  bring  it  out  fur?  "  exploded  Flani 
gan,  waving  his  pipe  in  the  air.  "  They  did  it  to  show 
that  Keatin'  wuz  so  mane  he  wudn't  dhrink  dacent  whis 
key.  Oi've  dhrank  whiskey  all  my  loife  — 

"  Mr.  Flanigan,"  interrupted  the  dealer  in  fancy- 
goods,  "  there  was  no  evidence  offered  that  Mr.  Keating 
drank  that  whiskey." 

"  That's  jist  the  pint,"  cried  Flanigan  excitedly,  "  the 
spalpeen  buys  it  chape  to  sind  out  in  bottles  to  his  frins 
around  ilection.  Oi'll  not  give  my  vote  for  a  man  as 
mane  as  that.  An'  did  ye  hear  the  judge's  charge? 
Didn't  he  say :  '  if  ye  think  Keatin's  a  liar  throw  him 
down,'  sezs  the  judge.  Ony  man  that  buys  wan-twinty- 
foive  cint  whiskey  is  wurse  than  a  liar.  I'd  not  believe 
his  dying  oat'.  Now  oi've  got  no  more  to  say.  Sittle 
it  amung  yersilves,  but  oi  vote  fur  Mr.  Cadwell.  He  is 
a  gintleman,  and  looks  to  know  good  whiskey." 

"  But  we  have  got  to  agree  upon  a  verdict,"  said  the 
foreman. 

"  Well,  agrea,  thin,  whose  hindering  ye  ?  Agrea  with 
me.  Oi'll  niver  vote  fur  yer  man." 


IN  THE  JURY  ROOM  263 

"  Mr.  Flanigan,"  explained  the  juror  with  the  agree 
able  manner,  "  we  are  here  for  the  purpose  of  deciding 
whether  Mr.  Cadwell  is,  or  is  not,  guilty  of  the  crime 
as  charged  in  the  indictment." 

"  Shure,  an'  oi  have  decided.      *  Not  ghuilty.' ' 
"  May  I  inquire  your  reason,  sir,"  asked  the  fancy- 
goods  man  with  sarcasm. 

"  Oi  told  yer  wanst,"  roared  Flanigan.  "  Ony 
man  — 

"  Now  gentlemen,"  said  the  pleasant  mannered  juror, 
"  don't  get  excited.  Mr.  Flanigan  doubtless  has  good 
reasons  for  his  decision.  Every  man  must  decide  this 
question  according  to  his  conscience." 

"  Yer  roight,  sor,  an'  my  conscience  want  let  me  have 
ony  dhealin's  with  wan-dollar-and-twinty-foive-cent 
whiskey,"  and  Mr.  Flanigan  tipped  back  in  his  chair, 
smoking  serenely. 

"  I  move  that  we  proceed  with  the  discussion,"  put  in 
the  broker,  "  my  neighbor  on  my  right  has  not  yet  been 
heard." 

The  young  man  with  the  white  carnation  got  up, 
cleared  his  throat,  and  said :  "  Cadwell  is  innocent." 

"How  do  you  make  that  out?"  "Why  is  he?" 
"  Give  us  your  reasons  ?  "  came  from  different  parts  of 
the  room. 

"  Gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  young  man  with  emo 
tion,  "  did  you  see  his  daughter  sitting  beside  him  on 
the  first  day  of  the  trial?  Did  you  notice  her  devotion 
to  him?  Did  you  notice  his  devotion  to  her?  Did  you 
see  how  he  spoke  to  her?  Were  those  the  actions  of  a 
guilty  man?  I  understand  that  his  wife  is  ill  at  home, 
broken-hearted  at  the  mere  suspicion  which  rests  upon 
him.  Gentlemen,  I  have  a  wife  —  some  day  I  may 
have  a  daughter  — " 


264  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  I  hev  tuo  tochers  at  home  already-yet,"  said  a 
quiet  little  voice  from  a  corner. 

"  We  all  have  children,"  said  the  wool-merchant 
sharply. 

"  No,  I  haven't,"  exclaimed  the  travelling-man  hur 
riedly. 

"  In  any  event,"  continued  the  testy  wool-merchant, 
"  the  judge  distinctly  charged  that  we  were  not  to  allow 
our  sympathies  to  enter  into  the  case, —  nor  our  preju 
dices,"  and  he  glared  at  the  Irishman. 

"  D'ye  mane  me  ?  "  said  Mr.  Flanigan.  "  Oi  have 
no  pridijudices,  so  ye  nade  not  luk  that  sour  at  me.  My 
mind's  sittled,  an'  at  rist,  so  g'wan  with  the  dischussion. 
I  likes  to  hear  yez  talk." 

The  juryman  with  the  agreeable  manner  went  over  to 
Mr.  Flanigan's  side  of  the  room,  and  drawing  a  chair  up 
close  within  the  circle  of  the  aroma  which  came  from  the 
black  pipe,  began  to  talk  to  him  in  a  quiet  tone. 

Mr.  Flanigan  accepted  his  remarks  cheerfully  enough, 
being  heard  to  interject  from  time  to  time:  "But  oi 
know,"  "  G'wan  now."  "  Now  my  bye,  listen  whilst  I 
till  ye." 

The  young  man  with  the  white  carnation,  who  had 
been  looking  repeatedly  and  anxiously  at  his  watch  for 
some  time  past,  now  rose,  went  to  the  door  and  knocked. 
"Officer!  "he  called  out. 

A  key  turned  on  the  outside  and  the  door  was  opened 
a  few  inches. 

"  Have  you  agreed  upon  your  verdict  ? "  asked  r 
voice. 

"  No,  we  can't  agree ;  I  want  to  send  a  telegram 
home." 

"  You  can't  do  that." 


_ IN  THE  JURY  ROOM 265 

"  Can't  send  a  telegram  to  my  wife! "  cried  the  juror 
in  consternation. 

"  You  must  agree  upon  a  verdict." 

"  Just  let  me  telephone  up  town  — " 

"  Sorry,  but  you  can't  telephone.  You  can't  come 
out  until  you  agree,"  was  the  curt  reply. 

"  Say,  officer,  you  send  the  message  for  me,  will  you  ?  " 
said  the  man  in  a  wheedling  tone.  "  Send  it  to:  Mrs. 
I.  N.  Loveman,  No.  106  — " 

The  door  closed  relentlessly.  The  young  juryman 
turned  and  faced  his  colleagues.  "  Gentlemen,  this  is 
an  outrage!  Are  we  free  American  citizens,  or  are 
we  malefactors  and  law-breakers?  It  is  getting  late, 
the  hour  is  nearly  eight.  I  am  denied  the  right  to  com 
municate  with  my  own  home.  Mrs.  Loveman  will  be 
distracted.  This  has  never  happened  before.  I  have 
been  married  two  months  — " 

A  ripple  of  laughter  ran  around  the  room. 

"  I  must  find  means  to  communicate  with  her,"  said 
the  young  man,  not  heeding  the  laughter.  "  I  will  re 
fer  the  matter  to  the  judge,"  he  exclaimed  with  decision. 
"  Hie !  you  officer." 

"  The  judge  has  gone  home  long  ago,"  said  the  fore 
man  unsympathetically. 

"  Must  I  stay  here  all  night? "  cried  Loveman,  in 
great  distress. 

"  You  will  unless  we  can  agree  upon  a  verdict,"  said 
the  broker  sharply. 

"  I'm  all  right,"  exclaimed  the  travelling-man  gayly, 
"  I'm  a  bachelor." 

"  My  young  friend,"  said  the  broker,  going  up  to  the 
man  with  the  white  carnation,  and  taking  him  kindly  by 
the  arm,  "  let  me  give  you  a  piece  of  advice.  This  is 


266  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

your  golden  opportunity,  use  it.  Don't  try  to  send 
word.  You  will  establish  a  precedent." 

The  young  man  turned  his  shoulder  to  the  broker, 
and  dropped  into  a  chair. 

"  I  was  going  to  take  my  best  girl  to  the  theatre," 
said  the  foreman  cheerfully,  "  got  the  tickets  right  here 
in  my  pocket.  She  is  probably  tearing  her  hair  by  this 
time,  but  I  will  wait  here  all  night  rather  than  have  a 
miscarriage  of  justice." 

"  You  hear  him !  "  cried  the  newly  married  man  bit 
terly.  "  He  says  he  will  stay  here  all  night.  My  wife 
will  go  distracted." 

"  No  she  won't,"  said  the  broker  soothingly.  "  Say, 
but  would  it  break  your  heart  if  you  went  home  and 
found  her  sleeping  peacefully  ?  " 

"  Gentlemen ! "  suddenly  exclaimed  the  agreeable- 
mannered  juryman.  "  Mr.  Flanigan  and  I  have  been 
talking  this  case  over  between  us.  He  was  quite  right 
about  the  price  of  that  whiskey,  entirely  right,  and  he 
is  undoubtedly  a  good  judge  of  whiskey  — 

The  speaker  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  an  explo 
sion  near  the  window. 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  said  the  voice  of  the  woolen  mer 
chant.  "  I  cannot  stand  a  draught !  " 

"  I  don't  care !  "  replied  the  man  who  did  not  like 
tobacco,  "  I'm  not  going  to  be  poisoned  because  you  are 
afraid  of  fresh  air." 

"  I'm  not  going  to  get  my  death  of  cold  for  any 
body,"  cried  the  wool  merchant,  getting  very  heated. 

"  I  insist  that  the  window  be  opened." 

"  Insist  as  much  as  you  like,  you  shall  open  it  only 
over  my  dead  body,"  declared  the  wool-merchant. 

"  Gentlemen,  order !  "  rapped  the  foreman. 

"  I  must  have  air,  I  am  growing  ill !  " 


IN  THE  JURY  ROOM 267 

"  Give  him  air !  Oh,  give  him  air !  Give  him  any 
thing  he  wants,  only  let's  agree  upon  a  verdict,  and  get 
out  of  this  place !  I'm  tired !  I'm  hungry  !  "  came  as 
a  chorus  from  all  parts  of  the  room. 

The  grocer  went  over  to  the  window  and  let  it  down 
at  the  top,  while  the  woolen  merchant  retired  to  a  fur 
ther  corner  sulkily,  and  turned  up  the  collar  of  his  coat. 

"  I  want  to  say  right  here,"  said  the  man  who  could 
not  stand  tobacco  smoke,  "  that  never  before  in  my  life 
have  I  been  subjected  to  such  indignities.  This  is  my 
first  experience  in  the  jury-room,  and  I  pray  it  may  be 
the  last.  While  here  I  have  listened  to  profanity,  and 
been  unable  to  close  my  ears  to  it.  I  have  been  satu 
rated  with  foul  tobacco  smoke  and  unable  to  escape  it. 
I  have  been  obliged  to  listen  to  the  stories  of  some  of  the 
j  urors  "  -  here  he  looked  at  the  travelling-man  and  at 
the  broker  —  such  conversation  is  unknown  in  polite  so 
ciety  ;  such  conversation  is  entirely  foreign  to  the  case 
under  consideration.  I  wish  to  state  that  I  do  not  con 
sider  the  jury-room  a  fitting  resort  for  a  gentleman  of 
refinement.  I  shall  write  a  letter  to  the  newspapers 
about  it." 

"  Will  some  wan  plaze  open  that  windy  wider  for  the 
gintleman?"  called  out  Mr.  Flanigan. 

"  Gentlemen !  "  cried  the  foreman,  pounding  on  the 
table,  "  we  must  discuss  this  case." 

The  man  with  the  pleasant  manner  took  up  the  word 
where  he  had  been  obliged  to  drop  it. 

"  As  I  was  saying,  Mr.  Foreman  and  gentlemen  of  the 
jury,  Mr.  Flanigan  and  I  have  gone  over  the  case  care 
fully  together,  and  he  has  allowed  me  to  set  him  right 
on  one  or  two  minor  points.  He  was  of  course  quite 
correct  in  regard  to  the  price  of  the  whiskey,  but  now 
that  he  recalls  the  use  which  Keating  made  of  the  whis- 


268  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

key  —  you  will  recollect  that  it  was  bought  to  be  dis 
pensed  among  negroes  at  election  time  —  he  wishes  to 
reconsider  his  verdict.  I  have  therefore  to  suggest  that 
we  take  another  ballot.  Is  not  that  in  accordance  with 
your  view,  Mr.  Flanigan?  " 

"  It  is,  me  bye.  That  chape  whiskey  wuz  good  enuf 
fur  thim  naygurs.  I  trimble  whin  oi  think  how  near 
oi  made  a  miscarriage  of  justice.  We'll  now  take  an- 
uther  ballot  and  sind  up  Cadwell ;  begorra,  twinty  years 
fur  him !  " 

"  We  don't  fix  the  penalty,"  said  the  wool  merchant, 
"  the  judge  sentences  him." 

"  Bedad,  an'  he  should  give  him  a  loife  wan !  Cam 
on  byes,  let's  git  in  the  vote,  and  git  out  of  this,  I  must 
have  a  dhrink." 

"  One  moment!  "  said  the  travelling-man.  "  I  meant 
to  ask  this  before;  what  was  the  name  of  that  young 
woman  who  testified  ?  " 

"  Ah,  niver  mind  her,"  said  Flanigan.  "  It's  not  that 
kind  of  a  case." 

"  That  reminds  me  of  a  story  — "  began  the  broker. 

"  Let  us  hear  it,"  cried  the  travelling-man. 

"  I  protest !  "  said  the  man  with  the  white  carnation. 

"  So  do  I,"  said  the  man  by  the  window.  "  I  refuse 
to  listen  to  any  more  of  your  stories,  sir.  I  warn  you 
that  I  shall  repeat  them  all  to  his  Honor  the  judge." 

"  Mr.  Foreman,"  interposed  the  man  with  the  agree 
able  manner,  "  will  you  kindly  announce  the  result  of 
this  last  ballot?" 

"  The  result  is :  guilty,  eleven ;  not  guilty,  one." 

There  was  silence  in  the  jury-room. 

"  Where's  that  wan  ?  "  said  Flanigan  ominously,  look 
ing  around  slowly. 


IN  THE  JURY  ROOM 269 

"  I'll  bet  somebody  has  been  fixed  all  right !  "  said  the 
travelling  man. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  a  quiet  man,  who  had  not  as  yet 
spoken,  "  I'm  a  plumber,  but  I'm  an  honest  man.  I 
voted  for  conviction." 

"  I  wanter  know,"  burst  out  Flanigan,  "  who  put  that 
*  not  ghuilty  '  in  the  hat ;  that's  all  I  wanter  know." 

The  small  man  with  the  bushy  red  whiskers  rose.  He 
was  trembling  slightly.  "  I  did." 

"  Yer  little  rid  fox,  ye,  an'  why  did  ye  do  it,  whin  we 
waz  all  agreein'  so  f  oine  ?  " 

"  Because  I  reject  Keating's  testimony  in  toto;  I  re 
fuse  to  give  it  any  weight.  I  shall  stay  here  forever ;  / 
shall  never  change." 

"  Oh,  don't  be  the  odd  man.  Don't  be  the  obstinate 
juror!"  called  several  jurors  beseechingly. 

The  man  with  the  red  whiskers  closed  his  mouth  with  a 
snap,  and  sat  down. 

"  We  shall  have  to  discuss  the  case,"  said  the  wool 
merchant  wearily. 

"  I'm  goin'  home,"  said  Flanigan  in  disgust.  "  Ye 
can  sittle  it  amung  ye."  Mr.  Flanigan  put  his  pipe  in 
his  pocket,  picked  up  his  hat  and  went  to  the  door.  To 
his  lusty  poundings  there  returned  only  the  reverbera 
tions  of  an  empty  corridor.  He  turned  with  a  broad 
smile.  "  Bedad,  we're  locked  up  fur  the  noight.  Ye'll 
not  go  home  till  mornin',  my  baby-bye,"  he  laughed, 
slapping  the  back  of  the  man  whose  white  carnation  was 
now  drooping  in  his  buttonhole. 

"  Come,  Mr.  Flanigan,"  said  the  man  with  the  pleas 
ant  manners.  "  Sit  down  with  us  and  discuss." 

"Discuss  nothing,  byes;  I'm  done  with  yez.  I'm 
done  fur  good.  I'm  going  to  slape."  Taking  off  his 
coat  for  a  pillow,  and  tipping  his  chair  back  against  the 


270  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

wall,  Mr.  Flanigan  composed  his  mobile  countenance, 
while  the  other  jurors  began  to  reason  with  the  odd  man. 

For  over  an  hour  the  little  man  with  the  red  whiskers 
was  bombarded  with  argument  which  turned  into  denun 
ciation,  and  from  denunciation  into  abuse.  The  more  he 
was  reasoned  with  the  quieter  he  got,  and  the  more  he 
retired  into  his  corner  the  more  decided  became  the  ex 
pression  on  his  mouth.  Finally  they  all  gave  up  from 
sheer  exhaustion,  and  quiet  reigned  in  the  jury-room, 
broken  only  by  the  heavy  breathing  of  Flanigan,  and 
jingle  of  coins  where  the  broker,  the  fancy  goods  and 
the  travelling-man  were  matching  "  honest  quakers  "  in 
the  corner. 

The  man  with  the  agreeable  manners  got  up  and  went 
over  to  the  corner  where  the  recalcitrant  juror  sat. 

"  I  won't  listen  to  any  further  insults,"  snapped  the 
red-whiskered  little  man.  "  I've  been  accused  of  every 
known  crime  in  the  calendar.  I  will  stay  here  all  night 
before  I  yield." 

"  You  will  stay  longer  than  that,  I  fear,"  replied  the 
other  pleasantly. 

"  Why,  won't  the  judge  discharge  us  in  the  morning 
when  he  finds  we  can't  agree?" 

"  Not  while  we  are  eleven  to  one.  We  shall  have  to 
remain  here  until  we  do  agree." 

"  I  must  get  away  by  noon  to-morrow,"  said  the  stub 
born  juror,  rubbing  his  red  whiskers.  "  I'm  a  real  estate 
dealer,  and  I  have  a  big  deal  on." 

"  You  had  better  call  it  off  right  now,  for  you  will  be 
right  in  this  jury-room,"  was  the  cheerful  reply. 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  ? "  asked  the  real  estate 
dealer  nervously,  as  the  other  left  him  to  himself. 

A  new  day  was  coldly  dawning  outside,  throwing  a 
faint  light  through  the  dingy  window  panes  into  the 


IN  THE  JURY  ROOM  271 

cheerless  room,  when  the  juror  who  had  acted  as  moder 
ator  got  up  from  his  chair,  and  came  forward. 

"  What's  the  matter?  "  asked  Flanigan,  rubbing  his 
eyes ;  "  is  it  toime  to  get  up  ?  " 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  moderator,  "  I  want  to  make  a 
final  appeal  to  you.  We  have  been  brought  here  for  a 
serious  purpose.  However  unpleasant  it  may  be,  we 
must  face  the  issue.  We  have  got  to  pass  upon  the  inno 
cence  or  guilt  of  the  defendant ;  the  question  of  his  pun 
ishment  rests  in  other  hands.  The  united  judgment  of 
eleven  men  is  more  likely  to  point  toward  the  right  than 
the  conclusions  of  one  man,  however  strong  they  may  be, 
and  however  intelligent  he  may  be  " —  here  he  glanced 
at  the  red-whiskered  man.  "  Everyone  is,  however,  the 
keeper  of  his  own  conscience,  and  I  merely  make  the  mo 
tion  that  each  of  us  rise  and  give  the  verdict  which  in 
his  conscience  he  believes  to  be  the  true  and  just  one." 

The  foreman  rapped  for  order,  and  the  weary  jurors 
drew  up  to  the  table;  their  faces,  touched  by  the  pallid 
light  of  early  morning,  looked  gray  and  haggard. 

One  after  another  the  twelve  peers  of  Thomas  Cadwell 
rose  and  uttered  the  word  which  held  his  fate,  and  even 
the  voice  of  the  volatile  Irishman  had  in  it  a  touch  of 
solemnity. 

A  hush  followed,  as  if  in  the  hearts  of  these  twelve 
men  —  so  widely  different  in  habit,  thought  and  social 
rank  —  there  was  a  common  throb  of  sympathy  for  the 
man  they  had  condemned. 

The  sky  was  aglow  with  crimson  as  they  went  out  in 
the  custody  of  the  court  officers  to  pass  the  remaining 
hours  before  the  convening  of  the  court,  at  a  nearby 
hotel.  The  wool  merchant,  the  broker  and  the  man  with 
the  pleasant  manners  walked  across  the  square  together, 
accompanied  by  the  wide-awake  Flanigan. 


272  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  He  was  guilty,"  remarked  the  wool  merchant,  look 
ing  toward  the  eastern  sky  thoughtfully.  To  this  sup 
plemental  verdict  two  of  the  others  gave  a  quiet  assent. 
They  were  tired  out. 

"  He  was  that,"  said  Flanigan  gaily,  "  an'  it's  a  foine 
thing  for  the  People  and  this  common  wilth,  which  we 
hear  so  much  about  an'  niver  git  any  uv,  that  we  sint 
him  up  to  do  his  toime.  But  say,  byes,  wan  thing, 
wuz  ony  uv  yez  iver  on  a  jury  with  twelve  such  lobsters 
in  all  yer  loif e  ?  " 

18 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE    SINS    OF    THE    FATHER 

On  that  Spring  morning  when  the  court  reassembled 
to  learn  the  verdict,  the  sun,  shining  through  the  high 
windows,  touched  the  dingy  old  room  with  warmth  and 
color,  while  it  exposed  more  vividly  the  marred  furnish 
ings  and  the  worn  oilcloth  on  the  floor. 

The  judge  had  taken  his  place.  Mr.  Brower,  with  a 
red  flower  in  his  buttonhole,  and  the  District  Attorney 
with  a  very  serious  face,  came  into  the  room  almost  at 
the  same  time,  while  the  benches  were  rapidly  filling 
with  spectators. 

Thomas  Cadwell  was  also  in  his  place,  carefully 
dressed  and  well-groomed,  but  there  were  circles  about 
the  eyes  telling  of  a  night  of  racking  anxiety,  and  under 
the  drooping  brown  moustache  his  mouth  worked  nerv 
ously. 

Under  his  red  flower  and  white  vest  Brower  felt  nerv 
ous,  too,  and  fingered  a  volume  of  the  criminal  code  as 
it  lay  on  the  table. 

Helen  sat  by  her  father.  She  was  so  confident  of  his 
acquittal  that  she  had  overruled  the  united  objections 
of  her  family,  had  even  disregarded  his  expressed  wish, 
and  had  come  to  witness  his  triumphant  vindication.  As 
she  sat  there,  under  the  strain  of  waiting,  the  solemn 
faces  of  the  jurors,  the  gravity  of  the  judge  in  his  black 
robe,  the  atmosphere  of  expectancy  and  suspense  which 
pervaded  the  court,  all  served  to  send  a  chill  to  her  heart, 

273 


274  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

although  she  repeated  to  herself  over  and  over  that  in  a 
few  minutes  the  long,  cruel  suspense  would  be  at  an  end, 
and  he  would  be  free.  Strong  in  the  hope  which  she 
had  fostered,  she  smiled  at  him,  and,  leaning  over,  whis 
pered  a  word  of  encouragement  in  his  ear.  She  did  not 
know  the  effort  which  it  cost  him  to  smile  back  at  her, 
for  Brower,  at  that  moment,  had  whispered  in  his  other 
ear: 

"  A  disagreement  is  all  we  can  hope  for.  I  had  ex 
pected  an  acquittal,  but  they  were  out  too  long." 

"  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  have  you  agreed  upon  your 
verdict?  "  asked  the  judge. 

"  We  have,"  said  the  foreman  in  a  high-keyed  voice, 
feeling  more  excited  than  upon  the  day  he  sold  his  first 
case  of  goods. 

Brower  did  not  dare  to  look  at  his  client. 

The  stillness  of  the  room  was  so  painful  that  Billy 
Finn  blew  his  nose  to  relieve  the  tension. 

"  The  jury  find  the  defendant  guilty." 

"  No,  not  guilty!  Innocent !  He  is  innocent !  "  Helen 
was  on  her  feet.  She  did  not  know  that  she  had  spoken 
aloud  in  court.  She  confronted  the  jury  with  a  look  of 
horror  and  bewilderment  on  her  face.  Her  voice  was 
like  an  electric  shock  to  every  one  in  the  court-room,  and 
every  eye  was  turned  upon  her.  The  venerable  judge 
looked  down  at  her,  surprised  at  the  unusual  interrup 
tion. 

"  Father !  "  she  moaned,  as  a  realization  of  the  verdict 
came  to  her. 

The  one  word  touched  every  heart  in  the  room. 

An  officer  of  the  court,  shocked  at  this  breach  of  cus 
tom,  started  forward,  but  before  he  could  get  to  her  side, 
Charles  caught  his  sister  by  the  arm,  and  led  her  into 


THE  SINS  OF  THE  FATHER  275 

the  next  room,  leaving  Thomas  Cadwell  with  a  heart  as 
cold  as  if  the  hand  of  death  had  already  touched  it. 

There  was  not  one  among  the  spectators  who,  from 
the  bottom  of  his  heart,  did  not  wish  that  he  could 
change  the  verdict.  There  was  not  one  present,  from 
the  judge  on  the  bench  to  the  jury  and  the  lawyers  on 
either  side,  who,  hearing  that  cry,  did  not  wish  from 
the  bottom  of  his  heart  that  the  verdict  could  have  been 
otherwise. 

Billy  Finn  turned  to  Connor.  "  I  wish  I'd  lost  that 
five  hundred,  Doc." 

Thomas  Cadwell  sat  in  the  court  room  with  bowed 
head.  Brower  put  his  hand  on  his  arm.  "  I  shall  make 
a  motion  for  a  new  trial,"  he  whispered,  sympathetically. 

"  Helen,"  murmured  his  client,  "  I  want  to  go  to  her." 

They  permitted  him  to  go  into  the  adjoining  room, 
where  Charles  had  placed  her  in  a  chair,  and  was  stand 
ing  near  her.  She  had  not  fainted,  and  rose  quickly  as 
he  entered. 

"  Father ! "  she  cried,  and  she  was  in  his  arms.  She 
was  not  hysterical.  For  a  few  moments  she  did  not 
speak,  but  with  the  pressure  of  her  arms  around  him, 
she  told  him  that  she  believed  in  him.  She  did  not  weep, 
but  the  man's  frame  shook,  and  the  tears  rolled  down 
his  cheeks. 

"  Father ! "  she  said,  throwing  back  her  head  to  look 
into  his  face,  and  speaking  with  a  strength  and  calmness 
which  came  to  her  spirit  in  the  hour  of  its  need,  "  I  want 
you  to  know  how  much  I  love  you."  He  could  not  an 
swer  her ;  he  could  only  take  her  hand,  and  hold  it  tightly 
in  his  own. 

"  I  do  not  understand  why  they  have  done  this.  It  is 
all  so  cruelly  unjust,  so  horribly  unreal,  I  cannot  under 
stand  it !  "  she  cried. 


276  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Gaining  a  little  more  control  over  himself,  he  replied 
hoarsely :  "  We  shall  fight  this,  Helen.  Mr.  Brower  is 
already  taking  steps  — 

"  Why  did  that  District  Attorney  not  die  ?  "  she  cried 
suddenly.  "  Why  does  God  let  such  men  live?  You  will 
beat  them,  won't  you,  father?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  murmured.  "  Now  you  must  go,  Helen, 
they  are  waiting  for  me  —  in  the  next  room.  Charles 
will  take  you  home  in  the  carriage.  You  must  go  home, 
dear  child." 

"  I  can't  bear  to  leave  you !  I  can't  bear  to  leave 
you !  "  she  cried,  clinging  to  him. 

"  Helen,  please  go !  You  should  not  have  come.  They 
should  not  have  let  you  come  like  this.  Don't  make  it 
harder  for  me !  " 

"  Do  I  make  it  harder  for  you  ?  "  she  cried,  starting 
back  and  looking  into  his  face. 

"  No,  no,  dear,  I  don't  know  what  I  am  saying.  Only 
go  now.  Please  go  with  Charles." 

"  I  will,"  she  said  quietly,  struggling  to  keep  back 
the  tears.  Before  she  had  reached  the  door  she  turned 
and  ran  swiftly  back  to  him  for  one  last  embrace.  "  They 
will  let  me  —  I  shall  see  you  again,  soon  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes." 

"  I  know  I  did  right  to  come,"  she  said,  trying  to  smile 
bravely  at  him.  "  I  want  you  to  know  that "  —  she 
paused  an  instant  — "  even  if  you  had  done  that  which 
some  say  you  have  done,  I  should  have  come  just  the 
same.  You  would  be  just  the  same,  always  the  same  to 
me." 

He  stooped  and  hurriedly  kissed  her,  then  turned 
quickly  and  went  into  the  other  room  in  fear  that  she 
should  see  his  face.  Charles  stepped  through  the  door 
with  him. 


THE  SINS  OF  THE  FATHER  277 

"  I'll  take  her  back.  Don't  you  worry.  She  should 
never  have  come  anyway,"  he  added  with  irritation. 

Cadwell  seized  his  hand  and  said  brokenly :  "  Don't 
ever  let  her  know  —  for  God's  sake,  Charlie  —  we  must 
never  let  her  know !  " 

Charles  went  back,  and,  taking  his  sister  on  his  arm, 
led  her  out  to  the  carriage  with  a  tenderness  new  in  him. 
She  went  with  him  in  silence,  her  veil  over  her  face. 
When  they  were  in  the  carriage  she  threw  herself  on  his 
shoulder,  and  cried  as  if  her  heart  would  break,  while  he 
tried  to  console  her  as  best  he  knew  how. 

In  the  court  room,  Mr.  Brower,  now  quite  himself 
again,  made  the  usual  motion  for  a  new  trial. 

The  judge  thanked  the  jury  for  the  painstaking  and 
intelligent  way  in  which  they  had  followed  the  case  and 
arrived  at  a  verdict,  and  dismissed  them  to  their  various 
homes  and  occupations.  The  spectators  drifted  away  to 
their  various  homes  and  occupations,  and  at  last  Thomas 
Cadwell,  debaucher  of  the  Commonwealth,  betrayer  of 
civic  trust,  enemy  of  the  State,  took  his  place,  not  in  the 
Senate  of  the  country  he  had  disgraced,  but  in  jail. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

OLD    SAMUEL    AND    HIS    SON 

The  District  Attorney  left  the  court-room  feeling  no 
elation  over  his  victory.  The  daughter's  voice  was  ring 
ing  in  his  ears,  and  although  he  knew  Cadwell  to  be 
guilty,  the  cry  had  entered  deep  into  his  heart. 

That  morning  he  had  received  a  note  from  Samuel 
Haverland,  couched  in  his  usual  formal  style,  asking 
that  his  son  honor  him  by  a  visit,  and  many  times  during 
the  day  this  communication  came  to  his  mind,  and  he 
could  not  help  wondering  what  his  father  would  have  to 
say.  He  closed  his  desk  at  an  earlier  hour  than  usual, 
sent  a  telegram  to  his  own  home,  and  set  out  to  answer 
the  summons. 

Samuel  Haverland  had  retired  to  a  favorite  country 
seat  about  fifty  miles  from  the  city.  There  were  less  than 
two  hundred  acres  of  the  estate,  with  a  handsome,  mod 
ern  mansion  surrounded  by  green  lawns  and  a  fairyland 
of  gardens  which  had  been  created  out  of  a  wilderness 
of  rock  and  abandoned  land  by  that  touch  which  is  more 
potent  than  the  magician's  wand. 

Back  of  the  large,  new  house,  a  half  mile  or  so,  hidden 
by  the  woodland  between,  was  an  old-fashioned  farm 
house  and  an  old-fashioned  farm,  where  the  water  came 
up  from  the  well  by  a  long  sweep,  and  the  barn,  painted 
a  dull  red,  was  joined  to  the  house  by  a  woodshed. 
Around  the  house,  except  in  a  small  enclosure  for  flow 
ers,  ducks  and  chickens  exercised  their  inalienable  right 
to  cackle  and  scratch  at  will. 

278 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  279 

Few  knew  of  this  retreat.  Few  had  ever  seen  it,  and 
here  it  was  that  Samuel  Haverland  could  retire  within 
himself  and  from  the  world.  Richard  knew  the  place 
well,  for  he  had  played  there  as  a  boy,  but  none  knew  it 
so  well  as  Samuel  Haverland,  for  here  he  had  been  bom, 
and  here  he  had  spent  his  boyhood.  He  had  fenced  in 
the  hundred  odd  acres  with  high  barbed  wire;  the  old 
roads  were  obliterated  and  the  only  way  by  which  the 
farm  could  be  reached  was  by  a  lane  which  traversed  a 
corner  of  the  park.  All  the  old  farms  in  the  vicinity 
having  passed  away  to  make  room  for  the  finer  places  of 
the  wealthy,  Samuel  Haverland  held  his  old  farm  intact 
and  hidden,  to  his  secret  joy. 

This  farm  he  had  given  over  to  the  charge  of  a  now 
elderly  couple;  the  man  had  been  a  schoolmate  of  his 
boyhood.  The  house  had  been  divided,  Haverland  re 
taining  uninvaded  privacy  of  the  sitting-room  and  the 
upper  bed-rooms,  though  sometimes  of  an  evening  he 
would  steal  into  the  kitchen,  and  there,  with  chair  tipped 
back,  and  with  the  shadows  of  the  fire-light  playing 
on  the  walls,  as  he  had  seen  them  play  so  many  times 
before,  he  lived  over  for  a  space,  days  that  otherwise 
had  vanished  forever  into  the  swift  and  ceaselessly  re 
ceding  past. 

It  was  in  the  long,  low-studded  sitting-room  that 
Richard  found  his  father.  Samuel  Haverland  had  al 
ways  carried  his  years  easily,  but  as  he  got  up  from  the 
sofa  and  held  out  a  thin  hand,  Richard  was  struck  all  of 
a  sudden  by  his  old  age.  His  body,  which  had  been 
straight  and  as  enduring  as  steel  wire,  was  now  held 
much  less  erect,  and  Richard  noticed  that  the  vitality 
which  had  always  kindled  the  face,  had  vanished,  leaving 
it  colorless,  but  at  the  same  time  less  austere.  A  look 


280  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

of  compassion  came  to  the  son's  face  as  he  took  the 
cold  hand. 

"  I  have  been  ill,  Richard,"  said  his  father.  "  I  have 
been  quite  ill  for  one  of  my  active  habits,  but  I  am  much 
better,"  and  he  sat  down  heavily. 

"  I  am  shocked  to  see  how  ill  you  look,  sir,"  began 
Richard  with  sympathy. 

"  Oh,  I  shall  be  all  right  again  as  soon  as  I  get  back 
to  business,"  exclaimed  the  old  man  quickly,  straighten 
ing  up.  "  A  few  days  of  idleness  make  me  very  rusty, 
but  once  back  in  the  harness  I  shall  be  all  right." 

"  Your  letter  said  nothing  about  your  illness,"  con 
tinued  Richard  apologetically,  as  he  took  a  chair  near 
him. 

His  father  waved  his  hand,  dismissing  the  subject 
with  something  of  his  old  manner.  "  I  never  thought 
that  I  should  send  and  ask  you  to  come  to  me,"  he  went 
on,  with  an  attempt  at  a  smile,  "  but  you  see  it  is  so." 

Richard  sat  silently  watching  his  father's  face;  he 
noticed  that  his  eyes  were  brighter  and  deeper  than  ever. 

"  So  you  convicted  Cadwell,"  began  old  Samuel  ab 
ruptly,  looking  at  his  son  piercingly. 

"  The  jury,  after  being  out  all  night,  brought  in  a 
verdict  of  guilty." 

"  It  was  your  doing ;  another  might  have  failed,  or 
allowed  him  to  be  acquitted.  You  convicted  him." 

The  District  Attorney's  face  was  immovable. 

"  They  will  fight  for  a  new  trial,"  said  Haverland, 
looking  closely  at  his  son. 

"  I  shall,  of  course,  do  all  I  can  to  keep  Thomas  Cad- 
well  in  jail,"  replied  the  District  Attorney. 

"  Nothing  that  I  could  have  said  or  done  would  have 
influenced  you;  nothing  I  can  say  or  do  will  influence 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  281 

you  —  if  the  opportunity  occurs  —  to  be  a  little  len 
ient  ?  "  asked  his  father  searchingly . 

The  District  Attorney  shook  his  head.  "  I  regret  to 
say,  no." 

"  I  was  sure  of  it,  so  I  did  not  ask  it,"  was  the  re 
joinder. 

"  You  know,"  said  Richard,  "  I  did  not  seek  this  posi 
tion  ;  it  came  to  me  through  a  chain  of  events  not  alone 
of  my  own  forging.  To  begin  with,  you  and  I  could 
not  agree  in  business,  so  I  took  up  the  practice  of  my 
profession,  the  profession  which  you  had  chosen  for  me 
and  in  which  you  had  had  me  trained." 

"  I  never  intended  that  you  should  practice  law,"  in 
terrupted  old  Samuel  quickly. 

"  The  nomination  came  to  me  unsought,  and  the  office 
was  thrust  upon  me  by  a  sudden  and  unexpected  turn 
of  the  wheel  of  fate,  but  once  in,  I  could  do  nothing  but 
go  ahead.  You,  of  all  men,  must  know  that.  Then 
came  these  bribery  cases.  I  could  not  run  from  them. 
Having  once  taken  up  the  matter,  I  studied  it.  I  saw 
Thomas  Cadwell  buying  legislation  as  he  needed  it.  I 
saw  him  buying  his  way  into  the  Senate  to  gratify  his 
ambition.  I  could  not  catch  him  buying  his  way  into 
office,  he  and  his  agents  were  too  careful  in  that  bigger 
game.  But  I  did  catch  him  tripping  in  his  transactions 
with  the  smaller  men,  men  whom  he  despised,  and  so  he 
fell  and  lost  the  bigger  game." 

Old  Samuel  was  silent. 

The  evening  had  closed  in  while  they  were  talking 
and  neither  had  thought,  or  neither  had  wished,  for  a 
light. 

"  I  saw  more  than  this,"  continued  the  District  At 
torney  quietly,  but  with  a  quiver  in  his  voice  that  his 


THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 


listener  could  not  fail  to  note ;  "  behind  Thomas  Cadwell 
I  saw  you !  " 

Samuel  Haverland,  intent  upon  every  word,  keeping 
his  bright  eyes  fixed  upon  his  son's  face,  which  was 
growing  less  distinct  in  the  increasing  shadow,  did  not 
start. 

"  I  knew  that  you  were  aware  of  his  misdeeds ;  I  knew 
that  you  profited  by  them,  and  still  I  kept  on.  I  also 
saw  that  you  had  always  kept  yourself  aloof  from  the 
tangible;  I  saw  that  you  would  not  be  liable,  criminally 
liable,  for  what  had  been  done,  for  what  was  being 
done." 

It  was  perhaps  as  well  for  Samuel  Haverland  that  the 
growing  shadows  hid  the  expression  on  the  face  before 
him. 

"  And  if  you  had  found  that  I,  as  well  as  Cadwell, 
had  been  criminally  liable,  as  you  call  it,  would  you  still 
have  kept  on  ?  "  he  asked  with  great  composure. 

Richard  was  silent. 

"  I  am  curious  to  know  what  you  would  have  done 
under  other  circumstances,"  persisted  Samuel  Haverland. 

"  I  will  not  answer." 

"  You  have  put  Cadwell  in  prison,"  said  Samuel  Hav 
erland,  slowly  getting  up  from  his  chair  and  walking 
across  the  room.  "  He  was  a  valuable  man  to  me." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  District  Attorney  coldly.  "  He  is 
where  he  belonged."  His  manner  softened  as  he  added: 
"  I  have  deep  sympathy  for  his  wife  and  daughter." 

Old  Samuel  did  not  answer  directly.  He  had  gone  to 
the  table  and  was  busy  over  a  lamp.  He  seemed  to  be 
having  some  difficulty  in  lighting  it;  either  his  fingers 
trembled  or  he  could  not  find  the  little  wheel  which 
raises  the  wick.  Finally  he  succeeded,  struck  a  match, 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  283 

trimmed  the  wick,  and  replaced  the  chimney  carefully. 
When  he  faced  about  he  spoke  in  his  natural  tone. 

"  I,  too,  am  sorry  for  them,  exceedingly  sorry.  It  is 
a  great  blow.  Here  is  a  man  of  wonderfully  resource 
ful  nature  put  where  he  can  be  of  no  use  in  the  world." 

"  There  are  other  men  of  equally  resourceful  nature 
where  he  is  to-day.  He  should  have  remained  honest," 
said  the  District  Attorney. 

"  It  was  impossible,"  replied  old  Samuel.  "  I  mean  it 
was  impossible  under  existing  conditions  for  Cadwell  to 
act  otherwise  than  he  did  —  Why  do  you  look  at  me 
like  that?  "  he  said,  interrupting  himself.  "  You  are  not 
prosecuting  Cadwell  now." 

Richard  averted  his  gaze. 

His  father  continued :  "  He  was  ambitious ;  he  wanted 
to  make  a  national  reputation  for  himself;  to  go  to  the 
Senate  and  make  a  great  name." 

"  A  noble  ambition,"  said  the  District  Attorney,  "  and 
he  set  about  it  worthily." 

"  But  he  got  it,"  exclaimed  his  father  quickly.  "  He 
was  successful.  He  got  the  office !  " 

"  And  he  is  now  where  he  can  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his 
ambition  with  perfect  safety  to  the  State,"  remarked  the 
District  Attorney  grimly. 

"  And  you  have  deprived  me  of  a  very  valuable  man," 
said  old  Samuel.  "  I  trust  Cadwell,  that  is,  I  trusted 
him  more  than  any  of  the  others.  I  needed  him,  and 
now  you  have  taken  him  away." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  replied  the  District  Attorney  dryly. 

"  I  can't  blame  you,"  replied  his  father.  "  It  was  all 
in  the  line  of  your  business,  and  you  were  successful." 
There  was  a  touch  of  pride  in  his  tone.  "  Richard,"  he 
went  on,  leaning  forward  and  fixing  him  with  his  bril 
liant  eyes,  "  you  have  the  secret  of  success.  You  have 


284  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

the  power  of  making  other  men  see  with  your  eyes.  You 
bend  them  to  your  will,  quietly,  irresistibly,  without  their 
knowing  it.  You  and  I  together  could  work  wonderful 
things.  I  feel  that  I  am  growing  old;  here  alone  with 
you  I  will  admit  it.  There  is  a  younger  group  of  men 
trying  to  drive  me  into  a  subordinate  position,  while 
they  get  to  the  front.  They  are  led  by  Craig.  I  have 
broken  with  Craig;  he  is  a  traitor.  They  have  not 
forced  me  back,  as  yet,  although  they  have  touched  me 
a  little.  Reinforced  by  your  brain  and  your  courage,  I 
could  defeat  them.  You  and  I  could  put  them  right 
under  our  thumbs." 

Richard  was  silent. 

"  Richard,  I  need  you.  I  have  schemes  greater  than 
any  which  have  gone  before,  but  alone  I  lack  the  vitality 
to  put  them  into  execution.  You  and  I  together  could 
ride  over  all  who  oppose  us.  We  could  become  the  domi 
nant  factors  of  the  country.  Think  of  that !  Think  of 
the  success  which  lies  before  us,  which  lies  before  you, 
for  it  is  in  you  that  I  shall  live.  It  is  only  in  you  that 
I  can  hope  to  live." 

Richard  was  silent. 

"  That's  right,  think  it  over  carefully.  You  have  a 
masterful  mind,  this  must  appeal  to  it.  Remember,  I 
yield  to  you,  you  shall  be  first.  I  shall  be  behind  you 
with  the  experience  gathered  in  long  years,  and  help 
you  win  such  success  as  only  you  and  I  together  can 
win." 

Old  Samuel  had  spoken  with  intensity,  his  whole  soul 
entering  into  what  he  said. 

"  I  cannot,"  replied  Richard. 

"You,  a  Haverland,  say  that?"  exclaimed  old  Sam 
uel.  "  I  won't  believe  it.  Are  you  always  going  to  be 
content  to  throw  away  your  great  abilities  in  a  petty 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  285 

public  office.  You  cannot  do  that.  But  what  I  want 
you  to  do,  you  can  do,  and  you  must  do,  Richard  —  you 
must." 

"  I  cannot  purchase  the  success  you  offer  at  the  price," 
replied  Richard. 

"  The  price  is  no  greater  than  you  are  paying  every 
day.  You  give  all  your  time  and  energy  to  the  public 
service  for  a  paltry  salary.  I  do  not  ask  for  more  than 
all  your  time,  more  than  all  your  energy  and  intellect, 
and  the  reward  is  worth  it." 

"  I  cannot  pay  the  price  of  my  soul,"  replied  Richard. 

"Your  soul?"  said  old  Samuel.  "What  has  that 
got  to  do  with  it?  I  was  putting  a  business  proposition 
to  you,  and  you  branch  off  about  souls." 

"  That  is  the  point  at  issue,"  replied  Richard.  "  I 
told  you  several  years  ago  that  I  could  not  do  what  you 
were  doing.  I  cannot  afford  to  give  my  soul  for  the 
success  which  you  offer  in  return." 

"  Do  you  mean,"  asked  old  Samuel,  very  distinctly, 
"  that  you  think  that  I  have  lost  my  soul  ?  " 

Richard's  face  was  turned  towards  his  father's,  and 
the  two  men  looked  deep  into  each  other's  eyes. 

"  I  did  not  say  that,"  replied  Richard  slowly.  "  I 
said  that  I  could  not  do  what  you  had  done,  and  retain 


mine. 

M 


I  have  always  tried  to  be  a  good  Christian,"  said 
old  Samuel.  He  got  up  from  his  sofa  and  stood  on  the 
hearth  rug.  The  evening  air  was  cool,  or  his  blood  was 
depleted,  for  he  shivered.  Taking  a  match  from  the 
mantel,  he  ignited  the  wood  which  had  been  laid  on  the 
hearth. 

"  I  have  always  tried  to  be  a  good  Christian,"  he 
repeated    slowly    to    himself,    watching    the    crackling 


286  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

flames.  "  If  I  had  not  done  what  I  have,  other  men 
would." 

He  half  turned  towards  Richard,  and  the  fire-glow 
on  his  face  —  strong  in  spite  of  the  relentless  marks  of 
age  and  illness  —  put  a  touch  of  life  into  his  cheeks. 

"  Yes,"  assented  Richard,  "  other  men  would." 

Old  Samuel  spread  out  his  palms  to  the  grateful  blaze. 
"  Craig  and  Cadwell  and  the  rest  of  them,  even  Cotton, 
would  willingly  have  stood  in  my  shoes,  but  they  have 
never  been  able  to.  I  would  not  let  them.  They  think 
that  they  have  been  successful.  I  have  been."  And  he 
opened  and  closed  his  hands  before  the  fire.  "  I  have 
stood  above  them  all,  and  shall  while  I  live."  His  eyes 
shone  like  the  embers.  "  While  I  live,"  and  he  drew 
nearer  to  the  fire.  "  But  when  I  am  gone  —  "  he  mur 
mured,  pushing  the  burning  pieces  of  wood  together 
with  the  poker.  "  That  is  the  reason  I  sent  for  you.  I 
want  you  to  hear  all  I  have  to  say." 

"  I  am  listening,"  said  Richard. 

"  I  will  change  my  will.  As  it  stands,  my  estate  is 
divided.  Mildred,  her  children,  and  other  relatives,  get 
the  major  part  of  it.  I  have  also  left  large  bequests  to 
charities  and  public  institutions,  but  I  will  change  all 
that.  You  shall  have  every  penny  of  it  if  you  will  only 
come  back  to  me  now.  Is  it  a  bargain  ?  " 

Samuel  Haverland  had  spoken  in  a  low  tone,  hiding 
the  intensity  of  his  feelings  by  frequent  stirring  of  the 
fire. 

"  I  cannot,"  replied  Richard. 

Old  Samuel  threw  down  the  poker  and  turned  upon 
him:  "  You  can,  you  shall!  "  he  cried,  raising  his  voice. 
"  All  I  have  labored  for  must  not  be  in  vain.  My  great 
success  —  it  must  not  end  in  failure !  "  . 

"  It  is  failure,"  answered  Richard. 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  287 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that?  "  exclaimed  old  Samuel 
excitedly.  Richard  was  leaning  forward  looking  into 
the  fire.  "  I  should  be  glad  to  get  your  views,"  contin 
ued  his  father  in  his  self-contained  manner. 

Richard  raised  his  head.  "  You  and  I  do  not  seem 
to  understand  the  word  alike.  What  you  call  success 
to  me  is  failure.  When  you  are  gone  your  schemes  will 
fall  as  quickly  as  that  flame  which  a  moment  ago  was 
roaring  up  the  chimney,  and  which  has  now  dropped  to 
a  feeble  flicker  since  you  stopped  feeding  it.  Success 
bred  in  corruption  and  tainted  with  dishonor  cannot  en 
dure.  Success,  which  has  exploited  the  country  for  its 
own  selfish  ends,  and  degraded  the  Republic,  cannot  en 
dure.  It  is  not  success.  It  is  failure !  " 

Old  Samuel's  face  could  not  grow  paler,  but  his  lip 
trembled  as  he  answered : 

"  You  do  not  understand,  Richard,  you  do  not  under 
stand,  or  in  my  old  age  you  would  not  turn  against  me." 

"  I  do  not  turn  against  you.  I  simply  cannot  accom 
pany  you,  that  is  all." 

Old  Samuel  was  silent. 

Richard  got  up  from  his  chair.  His  father  watched 
him  without  speaking. 

"  I  think,"  said  his  son,  "  that  if  I  start  now  I  can 
get  home  this  evening." 

"  Why  not  stay  here  ?      You  are  not  a  stranger  here." 

Richard  glanced  about  the  sitting-room. 

"  You  are  perfectly  comfortable  here?  "  he  inquired. 

"  We  can  both  be  perfectly  comfortable.  I  always 
manage  to  have  the  simple  comforts  here." 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  myself,  but  of  you.  I  prefer 
to  go  home  to-night." 

There  was  that  in  his  manner  which  made  old  Samuel 
tremble  a  little  more. 


288  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

"  Do  you  mean  — "  he  faltered,  "  I  thought  it  was 
agreed  between  us  —  you  and  I  —  that  though  we 
might  differ  on  some  points,  we  were  to  remain  on 
friendly  terms." 

Richard  answered  with  an  effort.  "  That  was  before 
I  knew  all  that  I  have  since  learned.  To-night,  as  I  sat 
here,  a  voice  has  been  ringing  in  my  ears :  '  He  is  inno 
cent  ! '  If  you  had  heard  it  as  I  heard  it !  He  was  not 
innocent,  he  was  guilty.  It  is  better  that  I  say  good- 
bye!" 

Old  Samuel  spoke  rapidly :  "  Thomas  Cadwell  took 
his  chances.  He  chose  his  own  course.  I  did  not  follow 
him  through  all  the  intricacies  of  his  private  business. 
It  is  unfair  to  charge  me  with  the  knowledge  of  his 
methods.  You  must  not  leave  me  in  this  way." 

"  I  cannot  help  it,"  replied  Richard  sadly.  "  For  the 
present,  at  least,  I  must  say  goodbye,"  and  he  turned 
away. 

Old  Samuel  sat  on  the  sofa  with  his  face  in  his  hands. 
With  an  effort  he  rose  and  called :  "  Richard !  " 

His  son  stopped  on  the  threshold. 

"  You  must  listen  to  me.  I  must  talk  to  you  to-night, 
for  I  am  ill.  I  have  not  long  to  live." 

Richard  started. 

"  I  do  not  say  that  I  have  a  mortal  illness,  but  I  feel 
that  I  have  not  long  to  live.  The  sands  of  my  life  are 
running  out.  Ambition  has  held  me  up,  but  now  you 
have  killed  my  ambition." 

His  frame  shook  with  emotion.  His  son,  thinking 
that  he  was  suffering  bodily  pain,  started  towards  him. 

At  that  moment  his  father  looked  at  him  with  the 
yearning  expression  in  his  eyes  which  sometimes  came 
to  them,  and  spoke  with  superhuman  effort :  "  You 
cannot  know  what  it  is  to  feel  and  be  unable  to  give  an 


OLD  SAMUEL  AND  HIS  SON  289 

expression  to  your  feelings.  Many  times  during  my 
life  when  I  would  have  spoken  it  was  as  if  something 
took  hold  of  me  within  and  forced  me  to  be  silent." 

"  I  understand,"  said  Richard. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  because  I  feel  the  world  slipping  from 
me  that  I  can  speak  to-night.  Richard,  you  have  always 
been  the  child  of  my  heart.  It  has  always  seemed  as  if 
you  were  a  part  of  my  inner  self,  part  of  my  soul.  You 
were  my  son,  mme!  I  have  always  loved  you." 

Richard  took  him  by  the  hand  and  led  him  to  his  seat. 

"  I  have  tried  to  do  right,"  said  his  father.  "  Some 
things  which  I  have  done  may  seem  wrong,  judged  by 
other  standards,  but  to  me  they  were  right.  I  was  not 
as  other  men.  I  had  to  be  supreme  or  I  could  not  live. 
There  was  that  within  me  which  drove  me  forward." 

"  I  understand,"  said  his  son  quietly. 

"  A  little  while  ago  you  said  something  about  losing 
one's  soul,"  continued  old  Samuel,  his  fingers  picking  at 
the  covering  of  the  lounge.  "  Do  you  think  that  I  have 
lost  mine?  " 

"  I  said  that  I  should  have  lost  mine.  I  did  not  sit 
in  judgment  upon  yours.  That  is  for  you  to  do,  not  for 
me."  There  was  a  pause.  The  silence  was  broken  only 
by  the  vague  noises  which  come  in  the  stillness  of  the 
night. 

Old  Samuel's  cold  hand  sought  for  warmth  in  the 
hand  of  his  son.  "  Do  not  go  now,  Richard,"  he  plead 
ed,  "  and  leave  me  alone." 

"  I  will  not  go." 

"  All  my  life  it  seems  as  if  I  had  been  alone.  Men 
seemed  to  dislike,  or  to  fear  to  come  too  close  to  me.  I 
did  not  encourage  familiar  friendship.  But  I  always 
wanted  you  near  me;  but  somehow  even  you  never  came 
close  to  me,  and  I  was  always  alone.  Then  came  our 

19 


290  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

misunderstanding  and  separation.  I  could  not  yield  to 
you  then.  You  would  not  give  in,  and  I  was  left  alone. 
Don't  go  now.  It  seems  as  though  I  could  not  bear  to 
be  left  alone,  now." 

"  I  will  stay." 

The  fire  in  the  hearth  had  burned  out.  Old  Samuel 
shivered. 

"  Are  you  cold,  father?  "  asked  the  son. 

"  I  am  tired,  more  than  cold.  I  get  tired  so  early 
in  the  evening  these  days.  If  I  could  get  back  into  the 
harness  perhaps  I  would  be  stronger.  I  don't  know; 
but  I  am  very  tired." 

Richard  Haverland  stooped  down  and  lifted  his  father 
in  his  arms  and  carried  him  upstairs. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

OLD    SAMUEL 

The  Spring  passed  into  early  Summer,  and  old  Sam 
uel  did  not  get  back  into  harness.  He  had  his  bed 
pushed  near  the  open  window,  so  that  he  could  look  out 
upon  the  farm  during  the  hours  of  the  day,  and  seemed 
to  have  lost  all  interest  in  the  larger  world  outside. 

The  routine  work  of  his  office  was  carried  on  mechan 
ically  by  the  faithful  Walters  and  an  active  corps  of 
clerks,  but  the  dust  gathered  upon  his  desk  and  well- 
worn  office  chair,  while  a  hundred  half-built  schemes  fell 
to  the  ground. 

William  Craig  walked  about  with  a  firmer  tread  and 
pushed  certain  plans  of  his  own  unhindered,  but  old 
Samuel  had  ceased  to  care. 

The  family  had  been  summoned,  and  had  been  ready 
for  some  time,  but  still  he  clung  to  life  with  that  tenacity 
with  which  he  had  clung  to  everything  all  through  life. 
His  wife  was  there  to  help  nurse  him,  but  he  needed 
little  extra  care.  His  daughter-in-law,  Mildred,  came 
also,  and  spent  a  month  of  seclusion  in  this  quiet  country 
place,  which  benefited  her  greatly;  and  her  two  little 
girls  played  all  over  the  farm  with  intense  delight.  To 
them  the  old  red  barn  was  a  castle  of  mysteries.  The 
grain  bins  were  dungeons,  and  the  harness-room  an 
armory.  In  the  dusty  carriage-room  they  kept  their 
chariot  and  six.  The  steeds  were  always  harnessed, 
champing  the  bit,  and  ready  to  whirl  them  through  dark 
forests  where  robbers  lay  in  wait,  or  across  wide  Russian 
Steppes  with  wolves  howling  at  their  wheels. 

291 


292         THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

Another  favorite  spot  was  under  the  trees  in  front  of 
the  house,  where  they  invented  a  new  game  every  hour, 
in  which  the  barnyard  ducks  and  chickens,  the  house  cat 
and  the  faithful  dog  took  active,  and  more  or  less  re 
luctant,  parts.  From  his  couch  at  the  window  old  Sam 
uel  could  see  them  here,  and  on  pleasant  days  he  would 
lie  and  watch  them  by  the  hour,  listening  intently  for 
their  voices  when  they  ran  around  the  corner  of  the  house 
or  disappeared  into  the  barn. 

Richard  came  out  every  few  days,  and  toward  the  end 
brought  his  wife  and  child.  Mrs.  Haverland  welcomed 
her  daughter-in-law  lovingly,  and  old  Samuel's  eyes  were 
brighter  at  the  sight  of  his  grandson.  He  wanted  Rich 
ard  with  him  always,  and,  as  much  as  possible,  Richard 
was  at  his  side.  The  old  man's  mind  was  clear,  and  he 
complained  of  no  pain,  but  the  sands  of  life  were  run 
ning  swiftly  out. 

"  Do  not  leave  me  alone,"  he  whispered  pleadingly. 
And  during  many  hours  Richard  was  there. 

It  was  in  the  morning;  the  time  of  day  and  the  time 
of  year  when  the  earth  is  quickened  with  new  life.  He 
had  his  couch  rolled  as  usual  close  to  the  window.  Mil 
dred's  children  were  playing  in  a  bit  of  woodland  a  little 
distance  from  the  house.  Someone  would  have  checked 
them,  but  old  Samuel  forbade  it  with  a  movement  of  his 
finger.  "  Do  not  leave  me,"  his  lips  framed ;  "  do  not 
leave  me  alone,"  and  Richard  held  his  hand.  On  the 
Summer  air,  over  the  meadow,  up  into  the  quiet  of  the 
room  came  the  fresh  young  voices,  so  pure  and  sweet 
that  they  sounded  like  the  voices  of  angels  calling  to  the 
souls  of  men. 

Instinctively  the  feeble  body  turned  toward  the  light, 
but  old  Samuel  could  not  see  it.  He  held  his  son's  hand 
tightly,  while  his  soul  passed  into  another  world,  alone. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

THE  LAST 

Thomas  Cadwell  remained  in  jail  because  of  his  failure 
to  secure  a  new  trial.  He  heard  of  his  old  associate's 
death  with  indifference.  His  own  miseries  weighed  too 
heavily  upon  him  to  permit  of  any  great  expenditure  of 
sympathy.  Helen  was  ill,  and  could  not  get  to  see  him, 
and  his  heart  was  torn  at  the  thought  of  her. 

William  Craig  was  too  busy  buying  stocks  on  the 
slump  caused  by  the  death  of  the  old  financial  lion,  to 
spend  any  time  for  grief,  and  when  he  had  finished  buy 
ing  he  found  he  had  acquired  such  a  line  of  "  good 
things  "  that  he  could  do  little  else  but  smile,  for  Craig 
aspired  to  be  the  biggest  financial  lion  of  them  all. 

Mildred  Haverland  became  one  of  the  richest  widows 
in  the  land,  and  her  two  poor  little  girls,  with  their  thin 
legs  showing  pathetically  below  their  new  black  frocks, 
were  overburdened  with  fortune.  However,  they  did  not 
mind  it,  and  played  happily  whenever  they  got  an  op 
portunity. 

When  Cherida  Delafield  heard  that  Fortuna's  horn 
had  been  turned  full  over  the  head  of  her  one-time  bosom 
friend,  she  felt  a  slight  pang  of  envy. 

Cherida  was  also  a  widow.  She  had  gotten  her  decree. 
Frank  Delafield  had  either  dropped  his  bones  upon  some 
lost  Klondike  trail,  or  if  he  had  brought  them  back  to 
civilization  he  had  concealed  them  under  another  name. 
In  either  event  the  court  had  declared  him  dead. 

293 


294  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

'Charles  Cadwell  really  wanted  to  marry  her.  Now 
that  she  had  forbidden  him  her  door,  he  missed  the  ex 
citement  of  her  presence  as  a  drunkard  misses  his  ab 
sinthe.  He  was  quite  willing  to  forget  and  forgive,  but 
she  was  heartily  tired  of  him.  Besides,  she  had  become 
interested  in  an  elderly  bachelor,  who  had  spent  his  life 
in  putting  by  a  competency  for  his  old  age,  and  who  had 
a  ball  of  several  millions  snugly  rolled  up  in  his  nest. 
With  this  competency  he  now  concluded  that  he  had  time 
to  think  of  matrimony.  Cherida  did  not  give  him  time 
to  think  twice  before  she  snatched  him  up,  and  deter 
mined  to  give  Mildred  a  brush  on  the  social  speedway. 

Richard  Haverland  went  back  to  his  own  home  and 
took  his  mother  with  him.  After  the  strain  of  her  hus 
band's  illness  the  change  was  a  happy  one  for  her. 

A  new  election  was  approaching,  and  as  the  District 
Attorney  sat  in  his  office  Jacob  Homer  called  to  see  him. 
The  colonel  was  as  irrepressible  and  as  jaunty  as  ever. 

"  Now,  Mr.  District  Attorney,  I  want  to  ask  you  a 
question:  Do  you  bear  me  any  malice  for  any  little 
misunderstandings  in  the  past?  " 

"  None  whatever,  Colonel  Horner." 

"  Good !  I  knew  you  did  not.  Now  I  want  to  say 
this :  The  Republican  Convention  is  to  be  held  next 
week, —  and  say,  Mr.  Haverland,  can  I  ask  you  a  per 
fectly  fair  question  ?  " 

Richard  nodded.     "  Certainly." 

"  If  you  should  get  the  nomination  on  a  regular  ticket 
would  you  agree  to  consult  with  the  party  leaders  in 
regard  to  the  running  of  your  office?  I  mean  in  a  fair 
way,  of  course,  in  a  perfectly  fair  way.  I'll  do  what's 
right,  Haverland,  and  if  you  will  meet  me  half  way  you 
shall  have  the  nomination." 

"  Well,  Colonel  Horner,  the  only  pledge  I  can  give 


THE  LAST 


you  is  that  I  will  try  to  improve  on  my  past  record." 

Jake  Horner  was  silent.  He  thought  of  his  friend 
Cadwell,  who  was  in  jail,  and  other  friends  who  were  out. 

"  I'll  think  it  over,"  he  said,  and  departed. 

It  was  in  the  Democratic  convention  that  the  surprise 
came.  Doc'  Connor,  who  had  run  things  so  long  that  he 
did  not  know  how  to  play  a  subordinate  part,  found  to 
his  astonishment  that  a  new  element  had  gotten  control. 
Francis  Thayer,  at  the  head  of  a  determined  group  of 
men,  beat  him  at  his  own  game  on  his  own  ground, 
forced  the  nomination  of  Richard  Haverland  by  the  reg 
ular  Democratic  party,  and  sent  Eddie  Featherstone  fly 
ing  into  obscurity. 

After  the  convention  had  adjourned,  Billy  Finn 
sought  his  chief  sympathetically.  "  Are  you  going  to 
bolt,  Doc?  "  he  asked  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Bolt !  "  cried  Doc'  Connor  in  disgust.  "  No,  sir ! 
I'm  regular."  He  swallowed  hard.  "  I'm  for  *  Dick  ' 
Haverland,  the  regular  nominee  for  District  Attorney. 
We'll  put  him  in  all  right.  He  is  popular  with  the 
people,  and  with  the  regular  Democracy  behind  him  his 
certificate  of  election  is  as  good  as  made  out." 

"  Gee ! "  exclaimed  Finn ;  "  what  d'  yer  think  of  us 
supporting  the  District  Attorney  ?  I  feel  like  I  did  that 
year  the  revival  struck  town." 

Old  Silas  Cotton  felt  the  death  of  his  patron  more 
than  he  had  ever  felt  anything.  It  hurt  him  keenly  to 
see  William  Craig  getting  so  wealthy.  He  traveled 
down  to  see  Richard  at  his  home.  There  were  tears  on 
his  wrinkled  cheeks  as  he  took  the  young  man's  hand. 

"  Richard,  my  boy,  my  heart  aches.  You  should  have 
had  all  the  money,  and  you  could  have  had  it  if  you  had 
only  said  the  word.  Oh,  why  didn't  you?  Just  see  what 
Craig  is  doing,  and  you  might  have  been  — "  his  voice 


296  THE  DISTRICT  ATTORNEY 

choked  — "  and  now  you've  lost  everything.  Richard, 
your  father  was  a  good  friend  to  me  — " 

Richard  put  his  hand  on  old  Silas's  arm.  "  I'm  glad 
you  miss  him,"  he  said  quietly,  "  but  don't  grieve  for 
me.  I've  not  lost  everything.  We  are  on  the  eve  of  an 
exciting  election.  My  friend  Thayer,  here,  will  tell  you 
that  we  feel  somewhat  confident  of  success.  By  the  way, 
Cotton,  you  have  never  been  down  here  before.  I  want 
to  show  you  our  boy,  Hartley  Haverland." 

Richard  had  not  lost  everything.  He  had  gained  the 
love  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-man.  He  devoted  to 
the  Commonwealth  the  strength  and  ability  which  had 
been  his  inheritance  from  his  father.  And  the  people, 
always  seeking  "  a  man  among  men,"  recognized  him, 
and  fixed  their  choice  upon  him  again  and  again.  So  he 
rose  high  in  the  service  of  the  nation,  and  in  this  service 
he  gave  his  best,  not  because  it  paid,  but  because  within 
him  dwelt  the  true  spirit  of  Democracy. 


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